The Price of Progress

I've said it before, and I know I'll say it again many times in the future, two of the most important aspects of life are balance and progress. I strongly believe in this, and it has become the core of my personal philosophies. However, I have come to realize that progress comes with a price.

As I have said before, the advent and spread of the internet has opened countless doors, both positive and negative, so I will not waste my time and yours by talking about it. I will talk, however, about one technological advance of the past century or so and how it serves as a vital portion of my life while being the ultimate cause of others' demise.

As most of you know, I am a commuter student at Olivet. That way, I can live my life as a student as well as keep my same life at home, church, and work. That would not be possible if I didn't have my car. My trusty silver 2005 Chevy Cobalt is my lifeline between Bourbonnais and Tinley Park. Without it, I couldn't possibly do what I do. I would be pretty helpless without my car.

Conversely, vehicles have left an indelible mark on the community of the Stone Church. It was just under a year ago that Katie Prosapio, one of my closest friends, was taken from the world when her vehicle hit another. Not a day goes by that I don't think about that as well as how much I miss her. I could go on and on about the importance she had on myself and on our close circle of friends, but that will be more appropriate at another time.

Sadly, the angel of death has used the automobile as its vehicle of destruction again, taking from us another member of the Stone community. While I am not going to pretend that I knew her well or had established a meaningful relationship, I will say that she was a valuable component of the church, and that many are going to feel the sting of this loss for some time.

So, that brings me to the title of the blog. Progress comes at a price. Were it not for the creation of the automobile, we may not be devoid of these two young women. I do believe, however, that God has impeccable timing and that it is not our place to question his decision-making. I am not advocating going Amish and forsaking all technology. But it gets you to thinking about progress. Progress, while important and highly valuable, is not without a cost. As we live our lives, we must decide whether the cost of things outweighs the value. This is not only applicable for tangible technological items, but for the intrinsic processes that occur for mental and emotional progress. Remember, the cost of progress might lead to some uncomfortable times, but forsaking progress might lead to a live unlived.