I watched my brother as he lay in the hospital bed. A faint smile creased his face. After all the chemo he’d endured, I marveled as to how he could smile at all.
My mind wandered back to when we were kids, when the center of our universe revolved around innocence, laughter, and the love of family and friends.
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| Me, and my three amigos. |
We played in reckless abandon, without fear of someone snatching us away, without worrying that bullets would fly at us from a random shooter. We hung out with our friends, yes, but we jumped rope, played kickball, softball, and more. During those times, we only stopped our activities for two reasons, one of them when a car approached.
The driver, usually a nearby neighbor, honked the horn as he came close. Like good soldiers, we cleared the deck, ran to the side of the road, and stood at attention. He slowed the car to a crawl. The only thing fired at us was a friendly smile, then the wave of his hand as he passed down the street.
The second reason for aborting our mission was when our mother called us home for supper. Mothers stayed home with their children in those days, and families gathered around the kitchen table for a home-cooked meal. There weren’t any drive-thru restaurants. In fact, we considered going out for a hamburger a treat, not a dinnertime ritual.
Things sure have changed. Everyone seems to be in such a hurry these days.
But we’ve advanced, haven’t we?
In addition to fast food, we’ve taken great strides in the electronics industry, not to mention other areas, too numerous to list here, each step intended to make life easier, more efficient. But these modern conveniences have also taken away from our time, especially when it comes to children.
Social Media, designed to "connect" with others, is lacking some vital aspects—the sound of a voice, a shared laugh, a tender touch. Kids are even texting on their cell phones to each other as they sit in the same room. As a result, some of them have become disconnected, unable to socialize in a public setting. And it’s not just the children. The same thing is happening with adults.
Thank God for for modern medicine though. Without it, my brother might not be here.
My brother. Would our relationship have been the same if we had grown up in this new society?
I turned to my sibling and smiled, thankful for memories of simpler times in the past. Although we’ve taken giant leaps, many of them a blessing, our time spent together can never be replaced.
My brother. Would our relationship have been the same if we had grown up in this new society?
I turned to my sibling and smiled, thankful for memories of simpler times in the past. Although we’ve taken giant leaps, many of them a blessing, our time spent together can never be replaced.
Those days are far gone...I'm amazed at the zest that many women feel necessary to be out in the work force today. I loved being home with our children, and it paid off. I remember too, when we knew our neighbors and took time to speak with them. A fun outting was going to the corner drug store with a girl friend to get a hot fudge sundae. The "Mickey Mouse Club" was our favorite after school television show. Oh, Deborah, I could go on. Enjoyed your blog. I'm so happy to have those memories. Today things have changed as the Bible predicts. Hold close to those special by-gone years...they're something to write about~ Blessings, Diane
ReplyDeleteGlad to see I'm not the only older, I mean, more distinguished person who recalls those days, Diane. And you're right. The memories have given me much fodder to write about.
DeleteThanks so much for visiting! I really appreciate it.
Deborah, thank you for sharing this. Loved the picture of you and your "amigos" lol
ReplyDeleteWe lived way out in the country down a long dirt road. So, it was a treat to hear a car coming. We knew we had company. Once a man and a woman rode by on a motorcycle. My young mind imagined where they were from (Tennessee? California? Wyoming?). I knew they had to come back by the house since the road was a dead-end, and of course I watched. I wish I'd been brave enough to stop them and ask them all the questions that were rolling around in my brain. :)
Oh, the good old dirt roads. :-) You know, you could pen a story about the "mysterious" motorcycle. What if they came from...? What if they were going to...? The possibilities are endless! :-)
DeleteThanks for sharing with me, Pam. And thanks for stopping by.
Deborah,
ReplyDeleteI grew up in the same time period where life was so much easier and things were simple. Thank you for bringing back some good memories. Technology and advancement can be good but we need to learn to keep it all in balance. I fear we are losing too much in the trade-off...
Love the picture, I have similar black and white photos!
And what a time period it was, Cynthia. I imagine our folks felt the same way as they watched their time period slip away from them. In fact, my dad commented about this many times. I now understand what he meant.
DeleteThanks so much for stopping and posting. It's much appreciated. Oh, glad you enjoyed the pic. :-)