You mentioned being 62 and being excited about technology. So,would you mind terribly if I briefly share with you why I think what you are doing for your friend is so important?

In 1985 I met a couple about my parents’ age. They quickly became my second Mom & Dad. In the early 90’s they moved back to their home state, and about a year later I took a job in a neighboring state - about a six hour drive away. We got together every 3-4 months, but every Sunday morning we talked on the phone.

By the early 2000’s Mom’s hearing had become so bad she had difficulty understanding me, even with one of the phones for the hearing impaired. The only thing she understood clearly was “I Love You”. Dad had to interpret everything else. So in 2002, when I purchased a new computer, I made a surprise visit for her 80th birthday and presented her with my old computer. I had created an instruction book for using email, and set her up with a year’s internet access.

It was a lot of fun teaching an 80-year old how to use a computer, especially one hard of hearing. She could understand Dad better than me. I think it was because he knew the correct tone of voice to use when he talked to her. So, I explained to Dad, who relayed the instructions to her. By the end of 2-days, she had a good grasp of how to email. We set up the email addresses for her son, daughter, and granddaughters, who all lived out of state.

Before I set out for home, we agreed that she would send me an email every Friday. I travelled with my job and every Friday when I returned home, I got comfortable and settled in to enjoy reading the email that described her week. And, I would send one back that described my week. So, by Sunday all it was necessary for her to hear was “I Love You”. She already knew the rest.

About 2 months after I gave her the computer, I got an email from her mid-week. It was a panic cry for help she had sent to everyone on her email list. Dad had been taken by ambulance to the hospital, and they wouldn’t let her ride in the ambulance with him. She couldn’t use the phone and she couldn’t drive – but she remembered she had email. I immediately called her sister who lived about 15 minutes away. Her sister and the minister arrived at about the same time. He had also received the cry for help.

I was so proud of her in that moment. About a year later Mom passed away. At her funeral I heard from almost everyone how much email had enriched the last year of her life. Her minister emailed his sermon notes every week so she could follow along Sunday morning; so did the Sunday School teacher. Her friends and family were able to communicate with her daily, without waiting until they were physically together; and her granddaughters were able to send her greeting cards and funny jokes. She loved it - so did they.

I never knew. I only knew how much it enriched my life being able to share our weeks without the need for a go-between.

OK, not brief, but that describes why I believe what you are doing for your friend is so very important. You never know how a small gesture can have a large impact on someone’s life.