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 The many different ways that technology brings people together never ceases to amaze me. E-mail, chat rooms, auctions, and instant messaging all bring people together. Today I’d like to tell you the story about how writing about technology brought Martha and I together.
In 1999, when I signed a contract to write my second book, I found my writing chores had become overwhelming. My husband encouraged me to hire someone to help me. “All you need is someone who has is personable, has good writing skills, and is computer literate”, he said. After a short search, we found Martha. She was a wonderful person. Over the course of her life, Martha was successful at several different jobs including real estate sales and golf club management. Martha, however, had a hidden love that she had dabbled in over the years. She loved to write. We took a quick look at some of the articles she had written and found that she was an excellent writer. We were so impressed with her enthusiasm for the job that we hired her immediately. Martha lacked only one of our original criteria. She had only rudimentary computer skills. Yet I never doubted that her enthusiasm could overcome that deficit. Martha was a perfect example of how an older person can learn to deal with computers and technology successfully. Although she found some computer tasks intimidating, she plunged right in. She learned about bits, bytes, rom, and ram. The basics were not boring to her because she knew that she could use her knowledge to build up to more exciting and interesting tasks. She was never afraid to try new things. When she needed help she asked questions or did research until she found the information she needed. She took the time to learn new things and was patient with both herself and the computer. When she learned how to achieve a new task on the computer, she took pride in her accomplishment and beamed from ear to ear. When a new software program or gadget was delivered for me to review, Martha always wanted to be the first to try it out. She was energetic and passionate about everything she did. For Martha, every new task was a thrilling new excursion. By the end of her first year with us, Martha was using the computer like a pro and was completely comfortable with technology. By the end of the second year, she was able to finish my sentences and I was able to finish hers. We went together like hand and glove. She shared her love of writing with me and I shared my love of computers and technology with her. We loved working together and found everyday a new and exciting adventure. I thank God for giving me an opportunity to work with a woman of her sense of adventure, her integrity and her love of humanity. Those of you who are just starting out in the computer world can learn a lot from Martha’s example. Don’t be afraid. Plunge right in. Be patient. Above all, don’t ever lose your enthusiasm. This column is dedicated to Martha Tattersall, who was tragically struck and killed by a reckless driver on December 14, 2004. Those of us who knew her mourn her loss, but Martha’s spirit propels us to endeavor to make our lives as kind, gentle, and enthusiastic as hers was.
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