Where is the Magic?

I wonder if there are any things that are magical to kids of the present generation. I was born in the boomer generation and I grew up on the cutting edge of a lot of technology. In my life time planes became jets. Rockets were developed that could deliver payloads into space. As for computers I recall getting paychecks that were printed on IBM punch cards. Most kids today weren’t around until after the 486 processor was invented, and that was smoking speed back in those days.

Televisions went from black and white sets attached to rabbit ears or roof top antennas with a couple of channels to digital high definition color LCD cable ready sets with hundreds of potential channels.

We went from tape recorders that were the size of small suit cases with vacuum tubes to tiny devices the size of a credit card that can hold every song you’ve ever heard along with photos and video.

I feel so fortunate to have experienced all the changes I’ve seen over the last 55 years. I am fortunate to have personally embraced all the advancements, yet not take them for granted because in the back of my mind I remember the way things were.

My reverence comes from memories of how big of a deal it was when we drove my eldest brother to Newark Airport so he could fly to Hawaii once and again when he flew off to college in the Missouri. I recall standing on the outdoor observation deck and watching the four propellers of the plane starting to spin. I remember the optical illusion of the props going faster and faster and looking like they were spinning backwards for a time. I recall standing there watching his plane fly out of eye sight. It was really special. It was even special for my parents to get station to station long distance call the next day confirming his arrival. There is a term I bet you haven’t heard for years, “Station to Station” as opposed to a “Person to Person” call.

I ask again, is there any magic left for the new generation or did my generation consume it all?