The Connections Between the Older and Younger Generations, Made Possible by the Advancements in Technology

The technological advances, had shortened the distances, but, still, the elderly wanted to have his younger generations nearby, for the physical, face-to-face interactions with them, and that’s only, natural, translated…

My father-in-law is ninety-one, lives with the two of us and our two sons, we enjoyed each other as an extended, family.

That day, as my father-in-law learned, that my second son and his family was about to head off to Australia for vacation for two weeks, he’d suddenly felt upset, stated, that there’s nobody in the house anymore.

It’d broken my heart hearing him say that, I’d immediately tried to make him feel better, “two weeks will go by so fast, besides, I’m here with you!”, seeing how my father-in-law is still upset, I’m guessing, that that’s because my second son and his family live with us, and would be concerned with how my father-in-law is for the day, especially my kindergarten age grandchildren, they would, stay close to my father-in-law, to play coy with him, to give their great grandfather the joys.  And so, I’d told my father-in-law, “we can video chat with them, that way, we can, see Shan-Yo, and Shan-Peng too!”

on grandpa’s “end”…photo from online

As he’d followed my advice, a couple of das when my second son called locally via video phone, I’d immediately handed my cell phone to my father-in-law, as he saw his great grandchildren whom he’d missed a whole lot, he’d, started, crying, and couldn’t speak a word out.  Although the kids called out to their great grandfather, and told him how they’d missed him too, he still couldn’t, respond.  And, my second son and daughter-in-law saw, switched to the casual conversations with him, then he’d begun asking how the weather was over there, that to watch out and be careful when they’re out traveling.  After the call, my father-in-law became, spirited, and it’d felt, more stable on my end too.

I think, the elderly didn’t need anything else, but his younger great grandchildren’s company.  The technology advancements are truly amazing, although, it’d managed to connect my father-in-law in Taiwan with his great grandchildren in Australia, he’d still hoped for their quick return; truth be told, my father-in-law’s missing his great grandchildren, the trials that he experienced, is, equivalent to how they’d been, separated, for a very, long, long time.

on the offspring’s, end…photo fro online

So, this is how close this family of four generations are, the elderly longed for his great grandchildren, and, the only way he gets to see them, because they’re on vacation abroad, is through the video chats, and, these modern day technological advances, surely, does shorten the distances between the family members, but the elder still wanted his offspring to return back, because, nothing beats seeing them, face-to-face, hugging them, hearing them call you, loudly.