computers were not commonly available in Filipino households as i was growing up.  even electronic games were limited to atari and nintendo.  there were no such thing as the internet during those days.  that was some 25 years ago. i remember spending my saturday mornings watching cartoons in channel 9. and then playing endlessly with cousins and friends on the street.

just last week, however, it dawned on me how far we have gone in terms of technology – in terms of communication and inter connectivity.  my sister and her family who lives in hawaii was able to spend one whole sunday with our family who resides here in manila.  from 9 am to almost 6 pm we were online video conferencing through ym. it was truly amazing.

we exchanged stories using voice chat. we toured her house through the video camera. we saw her flailing herb garden. we introduced to each other our pets. she heard and saw my other sister and daughter sing with the videoke. we played interactive games with her son. her eldest was able to show us his favorite book – the original version of alice in wonderland. we exchanged photos, videos and audibles. now we are exchanging gifts through online stores who provide international delivery. and planning a get together here in manila thru email and chat. whew.

it is simply amazing. how technology can bring us closer. how the world can seem smaller, more intimate, more caring. and yet i can not help thinking about the flipside of what technology brings particularly for those who are not able to access a computer and the internet, for those who have yet to learn to use a computer, for those who have yet to learn to read and write.

while we (at least for some of us) have indeed gone far, sad to say that there are many many more people who are being left behind.