Oct 21.

10/21/2025 10:11. Correspondence 64

Hurray! Grammarly is working again. What a lovely thing. I was advised by a reader that I should disclose that I have dysgraphia and dyslexia, a condition that makes, among other things, my spelling less than superb. 

I have often considered how lucky I am to be born at the time I have been. I distinctly remember my elementary school class was one of the first classes that got iPads. It is hard for me to even comprehend how lucky that is for me. How truly perfect. If I were born just a couple of years earlier in a system that relied on handwritten papers, I certainly would not be sitting here. I would have done dreadfully and gotten discouraged. Depending on how my teachers would have reacted, I may have never gained a love of learning and a palpable curiosity. I think about these miracles with joy but also a deep sadness. How many people like me were not as lucky? How many students did not get the love and support, and resources? Life events are shaped and molded by things misunderstood and out of control. Yes, I am lucky. But many, many have not been. 

Mine and the world's troubles yesterday brought these thoughts to the forefront of my mind. It made me confront the question, "Do I rely on technology too much?" By all means, the answer is yes. My hopes and dreams and success lie in digital screens. As much as I love writing and journalism, I could never sit professionally in front of a typewriter and be taken seriously. It made me seriously question, what would I do if the internet stopped functioning? 

I sit here squirming at the implications.  

And I invite you to take a moment to think about who you would be if the internet stopped working. 

I wonder if you are squirming too. 

晚安，

Calvin Landreth