When I was younger, a lot of my future expectations were shaped by Saturday morning cartoons, specifically the Jetsons. After thinking about it, I was pleasantly surprised to realize that many futuristic concepts in the Jetsons have come to be. Pleasantly surprised, that is, until googling to confirm my assertion. In doing so, I happened upon this image, one that sucked out any remaining vestige of hope for humanity that I harbored. To wit:
It won’t be war, famine, or disease that will cripple our great nation; it will be our obsession with cats. Not sure your cat is going to be willing to spend time on a treadmill for which you shelled out $200. Knowing cats, methinks not. They’re kind of funny that way. I should’ve read the 5 star review, but I couldn’t bring myself to do it. “Mittens was an insufferably lazy pet, doing nothing but eating, sleeping, and, well, you know. I couldn’t talk her into waddling onto the scale, so I wasn’t sure how overweight she was. As soon as I removed the Cat Exercise Wheel from the box, she jumped in and started running, just like Flo-Jo in her prime! The only drawback? She spends too much time in front of the mirror, admiring her svelte new look. Best 200 bucks I ever spent!” Anyway, we presently have the aforementioned pet treadmills, robots, and picture phones via FaceTime, Skype, etc. We don’t have the toaster-style ejection beds, and I’m okay with that. And as much as I coveted having a flying car, I’ve seen how people drive on paved, well marked surfaces. Thanks but no thanks. A guy that can’t back a Prius into a parking spot should not be navigating the friendly skies.
Another thing I figured would be de rigueur is a personal forcefield. Unrelated, but hilarious: anyone remember the Cone Of Silence from Get Smart? That was good TV, by cracky! I like the idea of having a forcefield. Imagine being protected from anything or anybody that would potentially cause harm. Obviously, adjustable settings would be necessary. It could encapsulate me like an old iron lung (timely reference, eh?) or give me a flashing light, like the blind spot indicator on a side mirror. When my space was violated, it would defend me, administering everything from mild discomfort to vaporization. An instruction manual and some rudimentary training would seem prudent. It’d be tough to explain to the law enforcement community how and why your loved one was reduced to ashes on the settee. Although I like the notion of being protected, it wouldn’t be very practical.
We are often reminded that danger, both physical and spiritual, is a constant in this life. In the spiritual realm, it is hard to underestimate the necessity of staying out of harm’s way.
Are you unnecessarily putting or keeping yourself in harm’s way?
(Click “Stand On Firmer Ground” for a deeper look into How Close Is Too Close?)
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