Our time in history...

The paradox of our time in history is that we have taller buildings but shorter tempers, wider Freeways , but narrower viewpoints. We spend more, but have less, we buy more, but enjoy less. We have bigger houses and smaller families, more conveniences, but less time. We have more degrees but less sense, more knowledge, but less judgment, more experts, yet more problems, more medicine, but less wellness. - George Carlin

The above passage was taken from an email I received this morning from a very special person. It was written by George Carlin, who has made a career off of borderline inappropriate comedy. So, at first glance, it was surprising to me to read the way in which expressed Carlin himself in such a fluid manner and at the same time not losing the effect of the piece.

It appears that Carlin wrote this piece after his wife died some years back, an event that can soften even the hardest comedian. At the risk of not wanting to bore you, I won't post the entire writing, just let you know that it perfectly summarizes this day and age.

In an age of high technology, fast cars and fast money, we often take for granted the little things in our lives, which in reality should matter the most. Things such as family, friends and just the ability to laugh have been put much lower of the priority list. One of the lines in Carlin's passage was where he said "we spend more, but have less, we buy more, but enjoy less." Often times when we enjoy financial success, we tend to think this is our key to happiness. We buy clothes we don't need, cars that take all our money in gas and eat food that's not healthy. While these things may provide temporary enjoyment and satisfaction, the fade away fast and we find ourselves left with an empty feeling and the cycle begins again.

Our time in history is short. Granted some people's stay on Earth is longer than others. However, we must make the most of our time, because we never know when the light switch will be turned off forever. It's important that we live, love and laugh. We must not get caught up in the world and what it has to offer, rather we must put higher priority on the little things, like family, friends and self happiness. These things and more will have bigger impact on our time in history. We must use our time wisely...if only for a little while.