Of Trivia and Blackberries

In a time of great national moment, community events, personal concerns and eternal challenges, I seem to have regressed and blocked out the world for a time. There are occasions when we find ourselves overwhelmed with stories of sorrows and job losses, family disorders and worldwide disorders, and for me, that is when I grab my “banky” and head for the corner to suck my thumb in solace. So for today, I must register a complaint: I don’t have a Blackberry. After learning that our President was able to hold on to his in spite of security concerns for him, I feel justified in wanting my very own Blackberry.

I’ve scoured the internet for a site that might sell them for a drop-dead price. I’ve had friends tutor me in the basics so that I would be ready for this amazing piece of communication to add to my collection of gadgets, thus feeding my obsession with new items that come on the market. No one in my circle of acquaintances, meaning my co-elderly classmates for example, comprehend this passion for NEW inventions and contraptions that entrap me in their novelty.

I’ve lectured myself with scripture passages about not serving two masters, and the priority of tending to the least among us, and the threats of all those “woes” for any who seek their own advantage and not their neighbor’s. I have humbled myself and offered to do penance for weeks at a time but still hold on to the vision of that magical little object that with a press of a finger or two can bring the world to my hands through the wonders of electronics.

It doesn’t matter that I have very little real need for a Blackberry. It doesn’t matter that over 70% of the gadgets I’ve collected over the years have seen maybe 20% usage in their time. It is the thrill of the hunt, the challenge to take on new tasks or maybe take on new widgets to accomplish the new tasks for me. I’ve probably just put myself in some personality disorder category, but it is so much fun to explore the marketplaces for gadgets that perform near miracles in my eyes. It is difficult, however, to justify neglecting those matters that really count in order to add one more unnecessary item to my shelf or my desk or in my purse. The voice that sits on my shoulder keeps on speaking of the needs of the world, the injustices perpetrated daily against the people and other creatures on this planet, the wasted environments and the heart-rending warfare which never ends. So now I let go of this indefensible longing for unnecessary possessions and get back to the Real World.

But it would be so much fun to have a Blackberry . . .