What an amazing time to be alive!

We found this gorgeous picture online last night and stared in awe at its wonderful colors, speculating on the awful and terrible heat and pressure and chemistry that could lead to such a gem.

For like five seconds. Then we opened another tab and figured out it could be had for around $22 from six different vendors, including Prime shipping.

In fact, it took me longer to find the Amazon app on my iPad (thanks kids) than it would have taken to secure this treasure with one-click checkout.

The magic faded.

Contrast this with the same objective before the internet:

We would find this specimen (or a picture of it) as part of a cherished collection. We would engage people with specialized knowledge, perhaps describing the stone in great detail, before getting a best guess on identification.

Once we knew what we were hunting for, a thorough, analog search of all local gem and specialty shops would commence. If the stone was not available locally, it would have to be special ordered from one of these shops. Or maybe securing such an item would involve a road trip to a new place, or discovery of new places we never knew existed.

In analog mode, this gem is elevated in our eyes to a treasure, an artifact with a story and a memory.

Today the same item is reduced to a “neat” artifact on a shelf. No quest, no struggle, no significant memories. Pure, convenient consumption on a whim.

I argue that all that is truly beautiful in this life is the same way.

We do not “find ourselves”, we forge ourselves from the fire of our own humanity every day.

The struggle is how we find out who we really are.

Oh, and if you’re still reading, it’s boulder opal. Go get it!