Do you remember life before the internet?

A world without the internet? It feels almost impossible to imagine now. Today, we live in an age where information is at our fingertips, communication is instant, and entertainment is endless. But not so long ago—life was very different.

Before the internet became part of our daily lives, things moved at a different pace. Research meant trips to the library, flipping through encyclopedias, or asking experts. Directions were found on paper maps or by asking locals. Communication happened over landline phones or through handwritten letters, sometimes taking days or weeks to arrive.

There was something intimate and intentional about that earlier era. Privacy felt more natural because personal information wasn’t shared at the click of a button. Interactions were more often face-to-face or through heartfelt letters, giving relationships a slower, more deliberate rhythm.

I still remember that transitional time vividly, especially during my college years. The internet was starting to become more common, but it hadn’t yet reached the speed or reliability we’re used to now. When I had to work on essays and research papers, the go-to search engine was Yahoo—and it wasn’t very robust. I had to borrow stacks of books from the library and watch documentaries just to gather enough information. Back then, not everything was indexed in a way that made research fast or easy. That’s where Google really changed the game. Their search engine introduced a smarter, more efficient way to index and rank web pages based on relevance and authority. That’s what made information retrieval incredibly fast—and a big reason they became the number one search engine in the world.

Of course, life without the internet had its challenges—information wasn’t instantly accessible, and staying in touch across distances was harder. But it also meant living with less distraction and more mindfulness in daily moments.

I think about that slower pace often, especially now as a parent. My daughter doesn’t use the internet much aside from watching kid-friendly shows on YouTube. Instead, she spends her time drawing, creating stories with dialogue, and even building 3D objects with her pen. A couple of years ago, we started drawing and painting as a family activity after dinner, and ever since, her love for art has grown. Watching her immerse herself in creativity reminds me of how rich offline life can be.

As we embrace the digital world with its vast advantages, it’s worth pausing to remember and cherish the simplicity and intentionality of life before the internet. Those times remind us of the joy in handwritten notes, the thrill of waiting for a photo roll to develop, and the warmth of conversations without screens.

For families today, especially those raising young children, there’s value in balancing the convenience of technology with experiences that ground us in the present—art, storytelling, outdoor play, and meaningful connection. After all, the best of both worlds can coexist.

What memories do you cherish from life before the internet? How do you bring some of that intentional living into your life today?