It's been said many times before- call it an old man's rant- but in today's society I find that the humanity has disappeared. People don't connect; there is little or no personal communication beyond the cyber world. Eye contact has even become a social threat among some factions. What used to be enjoyable face-to-face encounters with all the incredible nuances of tone, expression and body language is now replaced by abbreviations and symbols, representing emotions, delivered anonymously.

I t may be faster and more convenient but it will never replace the untold information revealed in physically viewing the myriad emotions the entire human body can present, like watching the theatre of a joke being told or a story related with all the embellishment of physical emphasis.

The written word is a major aspect of that focus, a personal, unrestricted journey, customized by the mind's capacity for interpretation. This is where imagination thrives.

For those who never enjoy that experience, I grieve