Continuity with our electronic devices

Do a search on twitter or other social media and you will see the use of the word "continuity" as language they use to market their electronic devices to us.  It is a valuable asset and something you want to have with your cell phone, computers, printers, etc.

It struck me recently how little continuity we have in other parts of our lives.  Everywhere I hear the "mantra" that the only constant in our lives is change.  I think this is especially true now with the fast paced lives we currently live.  It was not so for past generations.

The generation born around 1925 and sometime thereafter worked at the same company for most of their lives and longevity was honored and celebrated.  Currently you can become professionally “stale” if you remain with one company more than five years. Often as companies change and the economy adjusts we are not even given the option of remaining for more than a few years.   Most marriages don’t last as long as the previous generations – 50 years or more. We tend to change houses about every 5 years.  We frequently move from city or state.  

I agree it is good to accept and welcome change.  Still we do need continuity. (Continuity is defined by Webster’s as “the unbroken and consistent existence or operation of something over a period of time.)  As with most things I think we need to achieve a balance.

Where is the continuity in our lives?  We seem to form most of our relationships in our work environments.But what happens when our work situation changes?  I find continuity within my family but I am aware if I rely too much on them the relationship can become a burden, even poisonous. Lack of continuity in other areas of our lives strains our relationships. I am painfully aware that when I don’t find continuity elsewhere I do rely too much on my family.

How do we find that balance?  Perhaps if we (as a society) valued it more we would find more of it in our lives.   Instead of valuing excessive activity or “busyness” we could value continuity and community. After all it is only with continuity that we forge strong and lasting bonds with each other and with communities.