Once upon a time – a time far away, we wrote letters to communicate. We learnt where to add the name and address of the sender and sendee, we wrote a subject line, we added a greeting. We wrote about the grievance, the report, the plea and we sealed it with another heartfelt greeting and good-bye message. We pasted a stamp and waited for replies. In between we did other things – like Life.

Then the internet came by. It unfurled its wide arms inviting us into a sea of possibilities. Space and time ceased to exist the way we know it. Anything, anywhere, anytime became the mantra. We rang and pinged and friended and tweeted. We had followers and fans. We had groups without ever stepping out. We plused and minused people like pawns on a chessboard.

Every event was peppered with phones and selfie sticks. We shared and bared like never before. We started living our lives through the eyes of the camera. We posed and pouted and posted. Throwing snowballs in Tahoe. Swimming with sea turtles. Dancing in weddings. Headbanging concerts. Our 3 year old rode a bike, our 6 year ran the 5K, our 13 year old won robotics.

Every life was exalted. Every one a celebrity. Everyone was happy. No-one had cancer. No-one lost a child. No-one went through a divorce. There was no yearning or remorse or sorrow. Life became a fairytale. We lived happily ever after.