I remember when I got my first iPod. I was blown away by the idea of having all of my music in the palm of my hand. I could be listening to Yo Yo Ma one minute and then with a couple of ticks of the click wheel, I’m listening to The Strokes. Fast forward 17 years and not only can you add whatever music you own, you can search the endless library of Apple Music or Spotify and instantly listen to any song you can think of. When it comes to music, it doesn’t get more convenient than flipping on the Apple TV, opening a featured playlist based on the music I listen to, and just going with it. As great as this is, I’ve recently missed the inconvenience of the way things used to be. Call me nostalgic, but there is something wonderful about the process of opening up the record player, flipping through my collection of albums, pulling out the vinyl, and placing the needle onto the record. This whole process of interacting with the physical material of the album, hearing the imperfections and dust pops, and looking at the album art is hard to beat. It has personality. It feels familiar.

I also remember waiting week after week for new episodes of my favorite show to air. Weekly activities would be scheduled around being available to watch specific shows. There was so much anticipation that led up to each new episode. You had time to process and think. Then, there’s the whole factor of rushing to get snacks and food during commercial breaks and having to hurry so that you don’t miss a thing. Times have changed, and the whole experience of entertainment is different. It’s large chunks. It’s immediate. It’s convenient. 

Sometimes, I love the modern conveniences we have at our fingertips at any given moment. At other times, I miss all of the steps that became part of the process of experiencing things. I don’t want my children to miss out on the memorable experiences the come from having to work, wait, and use their imaginations. It builds memories, patience, and wonder, which is so important and essential. It’s more than just music and TV shows, it’s the idea of having to put in effort in order to get something out of it. Hard work yields good results. Not always the results that we’re hoping for, but it builds experience and familiarity.

It all goes back to this idea of having a healthy tension. I’m not canceling my streaming services and only buying physical music. I’m also not tossing out all my albums and only taking advantage of the convenience digital technology provides, there is a time and place for both. I want to provide an opportunity for our family to embrace the goodness of modern conveniences while also finding the joy in experiencing and getting to know the inconveniences as well.

| Credits: Author - Jacintha Payne; Photography - Jacintha & Calvin Payne |