Do We Need to Be A Little More Old-Fashioned?
If you woke up one day to find that 70 years had passed, would you be excited or would you mourn for lost friends and family and the way of life you’d known?
When we meet Steve Rogers again in The Avengers, he’s still struggling with this very thing. Back in 1942, a special serum turned him into Captain America, and in the middle of fighting a rogue group of Nazis known as Hydra, he accidentally ended up in suspended animation. He wakes up in the “present day.” The world has changed a lot since 1942.
Not surprisingly, Steve feels like he and his values are obsolete. He doesn’t understand Tony Stark’s cavalier attitude or circumvention of the rules, or Bruce Banner’s scientific mumbo jumbo, or any of the pop references the others make (except for one about flying monkeys—and he’s almost pathetically excited about finally “getting one”).
It doesn’t look like there’s much that can break up the gloom surrounding what should be a golden boy character. But on their way to the flying ship, Agent Coulson tells Steve that they’ve updated his Captain America costume.
“Aren’t the stars and stripes a little old fashioned?” Steve asks.
Agent Coulson looks him straight in the eyes. “With all that’s going on in the world, people might want a little old fashioned.”
Throughout the movie, Steve comes to realize that Coulson was right. People are starting to not only want a little old-fashioned, we’re starting to need it.
And it’s not about the evils of technology. Technology isn’t evil. It’s not about needing to reconnect with nature and unplug. It’s not about retro becoming the latest fashion trend or collecting records or bottle caps.
It’s about reviving some old-fashioned values. I suspect that, like me, a lot of people long for the return of some of the things we’ve lost.
I’m only 30, but when I was a child, stores in my town were closed on Sundays. Was it an inconvenience if you wanted to buy something? Yes. But didn’t we always manage to survive until Monday? And wasn’t that a small price to pay to give everyone a day of rest, a day focused on friends and family?
I miss the idea of a day of rest. And a 40-hour work week that gave you enough income to live off of. Not only live off of, but raise a family on.
I miss when a handshake meant something, people did what they promised, and you could leave your doors unlocked.
I miss teamwork. Days when it wasn’t about getting ahead as an individual by stepping on others, but rather about working together to make sure everyone achieved their goals. We didn’t feel the need to shout to be heard. We didn’t feel the need to sing our own praises because we knew that if we did a good job, someone else would sing them for us.
Those are the type of things that made the good old days good. Those are the things that are now old-fashioned, and those are the things I think we need to fight to get back.
I’m an optimist, but even I know that I can’t turn back time. I can’t change society to make stores close on Sundays again, and we can’t safely leave our doors unlocked even in small towns anymore.
Captain America couldn’t force Tony Stark or any of the others to accept his values either, but he chose to act on what he believed, and by the end of the movie, however subtly, it was his example they followed, even Stark. The man who “didn’t play well with others” worked as part of a team, and even risked sacrificing himself to save the world.
While I can’t change the world, I can change me. Like Captain America, I can still live by those old-fashioned values.
I can refuse to work seven days a week because my body and my relationships need that day of rest. My handshake and my word can still mean something. And I can support others and let my actions speak for themselves. I have control over me.
And maybe, just maybe, if enough of us change ourselves, the world will one day follow.
What old-fashioned value do you think needs to be revived? How are you helping to bring it back?
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May 14, 2012 @ 07:27:57
I just watched The Avengers this weekend, Marcy. You are so right, we DO need to be a little more old fashioned. I’m missing some of those things, too. Things like old fashioned entertainment: where the bad guys were undeniably bad and the good guys were good. And, perhaps I’ve got some rose-colored glasses on here, but what about when being part of a team was just as important as being the stand-out independent?
I often feel old-fashioned because of some of the principles I hold as truths, but that’s okay. It’s the little things that add up. Thanks for a great post, Marcy.
May 14, 2012 @ 15:51:34
I don’t know much about sports, so I could be completely wrong here, but I wonder if the ridiculous salaries that sports figures now receive isn’t in part because they’ve forgotten that when it comes to a team the whole is greater than any individual part.
I’ve grown to be very comfortable with holding to values and principles that a lot of the world views as old-fashioned because I do believe that the little things add up.
May 14, 2012 @ 09:06:45
Courtesy, respect, confidence that what I believe is true, *is* true, even if I am the only one who believes it are some of the “old fashioned” ideals I long for in others. These days, it seems as though folks lack the courage of their convictions, or have no convictions at all. Often, opinions are offered with a question mark dangling in the air behind the statement, as if to say, “I think this way!… if… that’s okay with you?”
Captain America struggles with the changing world, suffers for his losses, but never once thinks his faith is misplaced. My favorite moment is when he proves his ability to lead by his strength to protect, and then even Stark-who, really, we all wanna be-gives Rogers the position of authority. Rogers has something none of the others have, certainty that there is good to be done and he must do it.
What do I miss most? Strong men in positions of leadership with those kinds of convictions and the courtesy, respect and confidence that makes those men doers of good simply because good must be done.
May 14, 2012 @ 16:06:48
You have so many good points in your comment that I don’t even know where to start.
Having the courage to stand behind his convictions is one of the things that I think made Captain America stand out, and I too miss that. I think we need to be brave enough to stand behind what we know is right, wise enough to evaluate the reasons for our beliefs so that we can intelligently explain them to others, and humble enough to admit when we’re wrong. I don’t think we ever need to apologize for believing one way or another. It’s our right to have opinions even if they differ from someone else’s.
May 14, 2012 @ 09:07:28
I think some of those things are small town values, not old fashioned ones. I have never known stores to be closed on Sundays and leaving your door unlocked? Never. Honest people still stand by their word, and polite people still hold the door open for the person behind or in front of them. I do think that we need to remember to slow down, though. In this age we tend to go at hyper speed, and that’s not going to work for long. I haven’t seen the Avengers yet, but it’s on my list. Fun post!
May 14, 2012 @ 15:16:30
You could be right that some of them are small town values rather than old-fashioned ones, but I think perhaps what’s really happened is that these values disappeared in the city longer ago than they did from the small towns.
I think you’ll like The Avengers when you see it. There’s a lot of humor and depth of character, along with some great eye candy 🙂 My husband actually asked me today if I wanted to go see it again.
May 14, 2012 @ 09:35:24
I do try to live by these values as far as possible. Yes I also miss being able to leave the car unlocked,and trusting a promise without a written contract. However, I do enjoy being able to reach across the vast distances to hug a friend who needs it and to feel that love in return, a friend I could never have encountered in the old days. Perhaps if we can bring those values forward into this new and modern world we can create something even more wonderful.
May 14, 2012 @ 15:24:12
So often when you hear people complain about the way the world has changed, it’s technology they’re complaining about. I think that’s the wrong focus because technology has given us so many great opportunities to help and re-connect with people that we didn’t have before. I keep in touch more with people now than I ever did before I became active on social media. You’re right that what we need to do is bring the older values forward and use them as a foundation for a better new world.
May 14, 2012 @ 09:36:28
Oh, and lest I forget, I woke up this morning and indeed nearly 70 years had passed and I have no idea at all where the hell they went… just sayin…
May 14, 2012 @ 15:20:53
Hehe 😀 Seems to me like I went to be yesterday as a 10-year-old, so I’ve lost 20.
May 14, 2012 @ 09:54:12
I wish there were more people like Horton the Elephant. I remember when it seemed like everyone was like this, and maybe there are a bunch of them still around, I just seem to have a hard time finding them.
“I said what I meant, and I meant what I said. An elephant’s faithful – 100%”
May 14, 2012 @ 15:19:32
You and me both! Horton was one of my favorite Dr. Seuss characters because of how genuine and caring he seemed.
May 14, 2012 @ 10:09:02
I do agree, some of those things are small town values, and they do still exist, but they’re waning. This generation of instant gratification is different. They don’t understand life as we remember it, and many simply don’t understand hard work. It’s a frightening thing, but there are still plenty of people out there who believe in the “old-fashioned” that Captain America represents. I’d like to think I’m one of them.
Great post, Marcy!
May 14, 2012 @ 15:35:08
Instant gratification is another big change that I think isn’t for the better. Patience really is a virtue because so many of the worthwhile things in life take a long time and a lot of hard work.
May 14, 2012 @ 10:23:04
Great post, Marcy! I agree with you 100%. There are a couple of businesses around here that are closed on Sundays and I respect them so much for that. Captain American is a true Hero and we need more people with that ‘true’ hero mentality. You get bonus points if you look that good in blue spandex. 😉
May 14, 2012 @ 15:36:28
Haha. So true – it takes a certain kind of man to look good in blue spandex! Superman comes to mind as well 🙂
May 14, 2012 @ 10:36:00
What a fantastic post, Marcy! Applause…ha! We celebrate Sabbath in our home – taking an evening to have a special family meal and talk around the table. We light the candles, say the blessing and relax together awhile. Now, I do allow my teen to go out afterward, not wanting to turn it into a ‘fun-killing’ night (as the teen mind can be apt to do). I also take a rest from blogging and writing. It’s refreshing and invigorating.
But I struggle, as I’m sure many do. It’s hard to ‘put-the-work-down-and-step-away-from-the-computer’ some weeks. Especially if I’ve had a less-than-stellar-week in my goals.
May 14, 2012 @ 16:10:12
I am notorious for the difficulty I have in putting my work down and walking away. Because it’s an ongoing struggle for me, I’m sure it’ll show up again in future posts 🙂 My husband and I are consciously working together to try to make sure we take that rest time because it’s important for our personal, spiritual, and relational health.
Sounds like you’ve made a wise choice in the way you’re handling it in your family. You’ve instilling it as a value in a way that won’t be resented.
May 14, 2012 @ 10:37:13
great post Marcy! One thing I miss that my mom instilled in me and I still do and how have my son do, is handwriting thank you cards or letters in general. I think they are such a personal touch to know someone took the time to get a card, write a note and mail it. In going with that, I also write a personal note in each holiday card. I cringe with the slew of photo cards I receive now at the holidays that were printed in some facility and mailed direct to me. It seems most the cards I know get are this. I’m not sure if this is an actual value, but handwritten letters and thank you cards are an old fashioned thing I miss receiving and refuse to give up doing myself.
May 15, 2012 @ 22:22:55
I’m a big fan of handwritten thank you notes and Christmas cards. I could type a message faster or send an email, but there’s something special about the time and effort it takes to write something by hand.
May 14, 2012 @ 10:42:01
I love this post. It really resonates with me. I’ve said so many times I wish most stores were closed on Sunday. The economic meltdown of 2008 might never have happened if CEO’s weren’t hoarding their wealth instead of infesting it back into the community.
We’ve come so far on a lot of issues, creating a better world. Civil rights and social services come to mind. But in regards to old fashioned honor and nobility, and a sense of community? We’ve taken a few steps back, I think.
May 15, 2012 @ 22:21:25
I agree. Some of the advances we’ve made are ones I’d never want to lose, but along the way we also lost certain values that made us better. I hope that in small ways we can get them back without also losing the forward progress we’ve made.
May 14, 2012 @ 11:00:00
I, too, love this post. I almost feel as if I wrote it myself. You’ve captured the sentiments of more folks than want to admit the same. The times they are a’changin’. And, I sometimes swear it is not for the better.
I’m hitting mid-forties and those days are still vivid to me, when few stores were open on Sunday and absolutely NO store was open prior to 1pm. We frequently left our doors unlocked and the only people who ever came in without knocking were family – EVEN if they KNEW the door was unlocked. Common courtesy. It has all but gone the way of the dinosaurs.
Great post, Marcy. It has triggered a few fine memories in me that I needed today. Thanks for that.
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May 16, 2012 @ 15:01:09
Thank you for coming by and sharing. I can remember the days too when people knocked even on unlocked doors. That was part of the ethos I think. We respected other people’s homes and waited for an invitation to enter.
May 14, 2012 @ 11:02:25
You know, funny thing about this movie was I found Captain America to be the most annoying and the most boring of all the characters. Hmmm. Wonder what that says about me.
I’ve never been one to look back to the past. I would definitely be the one going to the Future in that time capsule. Because the grass back then? Was just as messed up as it is today. Every generation says the same words. Life was simpler back then. People were nicer, back then. Less crime, more honesty, good old fashioned values (whatever the heck that means anyway)….all those things? They still exist, (as evidenced by you and countless others) and two generations behind us will be saying the same thing about the very days we’re living in right now. They’ll look back at 2012 with fondness and memories from their childhood and think “if only”.
I think there’s every possibility that the future can be even better than the way we imagine the past was.
/shrug
May 15, 2012 @ 22:29:49
Captain America was the character I most related to 🙂 With your sense of humor, I bet Stark was your favorite.
The future can be better, but it can also be worse. It depends on what we today and the choices the majority of us make.
May 14, 2012 @ 11:34:33
I agree with you Marcy. There are certain values that were more highly valued years ago. Honesty and respect for others are some of the biggest ones I’ve seen decline. Yes, there have always been jerks and nice people, but that ratio seems to have changed in our time. Or at least, our society glorifies the dishonest/disrespectful much more than it once did.
May 15, 2012 @ 22:31:50
I think you might have hit on something there–our society glorifies the dishonest/disrespectful much more than it once did.
Heroes in the past used to be the “good guys.” Now the people who are placed on the pedestals are often there not because of their character but because they’re rich, talented, or famous. Money and fame aren’t everything.
May 14, 2012 @ 11:39:50
Love this post! Yes, I choose how I live my life by a strong sense of right and wrong (going so far as to get haters because I call out the unethical nature of certain bestselling books 😉 ), and I don’t worry if my values are old-fashioned. 🙂
May 15, 2012 @ 22:32:40
One of the things I love most about your site is that you’re not afraid to call out unethical actions. Keep it up!
May 14, 2012 @ 11:54:05
Many people I know still hold to the values. What I miss the most and I think our children suffer for it – is that they can no longer explore unless their parents can see them. I remember hiking through the woods, biking through town or to the lake – and now it’s just not safe to do that. Maybe it never was. But I think kids would not be hovering around their electronics as much if they were allowed and if it was safe to go beyond their backyard on their own.
Thoughtful post.
May 15, 2012 @ 22:36:08
I’d never thought about that before, but you’re right. When I was a kid, my parents weren’t afraid to let us play in the woods nearby. My brother and I biked 10-15 minutes down the road to spend our allowance on penny candies from the variety store on our own. I don’t have children yet, but if I did, I wouldn’t feel safe doing the same. That’s a very perceptive suggestion for one of the reasons children don’t spend more time outside having real adventures.
May 14, 2012 @ 11:56:15
Wonderful post Marcy and I couldn’t agree with you more. Although I have found it convenient to shop on some Sundays, I always feel so bad for the people stuck working. There was/is no need for it. People need more opportunity to decompress, unplug and relax. All this go go go isn’t good for the soul!
May 15, 2012 @ 22:39:18
“All this go go go isn’t good for the soul!” – I couldn’t have said it better myself. Having shops open on Sunday also makes it difficult to find a day when a family can all get together. My husband works almost every weekend. My brother only has weekends off. It makes it so tough to get together for special family events.
May 14, 2012 @ 13:39:35
No phones at the dinner table! At home or at restaurant!
I want to talk to people–not the tops of their heads. 🙂
GReat post Marcy!
May 15, 2012 @ 22:41:46
That’s a huge pet peeve of mine! I’ve been out to dinner with people who take out their phone to play with while we’re talking. It makes me wonder why they went out to dinner with me in the first place if they didn’t want to really focus on just being together and enjoying each other’s company.
May 14, 2012 @ 13:45:31
This is a great post, Marcy. I just saw The Avengers last Friday, and this was my favorite conversation of the movie:
“Sometimes you have to lay down on the wire and let the other guy walk over you.”
“Or you could just cut the wire.”
“Sometimes there is no easy way out.”
Old-fashioned values come from a view of the universe that doesn’t revolve around ourselves. I was proud of The Avengers for acknowledging that.
May 15, 2012 @ 22:43:24
It’s part of what made it such a great movie. That’s one of the conversations I was thinking about when I wrote this post 🙂 Captain America also calls Stark out for being selfish (though I don’t think he uses that exact word), and you can almost see that’s what Stark is thinking about during the final scenes where he makes the choice about what to do with the nuke.
May 14, 2012 @ 16:05:23
I love this post! I absolutely think a little old fashionedness is what we need.
I’ve been bringing back Sunday Dinners. Whenever my daughter is in town, I make a big Sunday Dinner and we all sit together to talk, eat, enjoy each other’s company. If she has a boyfriend, he’s invited as well.
I’m also trying to be much better about sending out cards and notes through (gasp!) snail mail.
And I’ve been trying to unplug on the weekends. No blogging, commenting, etc. Saturday and Sunday. That way I can concentrate on my novel writing. So far, it’s working!
May 15, 2012 @ 22:55:28
Unplugging on the weekends in something I’m working towards as well. I’m not there yet, but it’s a long term goal that I think will be important for my health, relationships, and even being able to turn what I love into a lasting career where I don’t burn out. I’d like to actually have a day where I don’t write at all, whether I consider it “work” or “fun” because I think my mind and creativity need that time to reboot as well.
May 14, 2012 @ 16:06:54
I’ve been following this blog for about a month, and I think this is the first article I’ve actually disliked. A few others have said it much more eloquently than I can, but here’s my shot.
I’m 31, grew up in a smallish town in wyoming, where everyone claims to live by the cowboy credo. From what I’ve seen, it’s all crap. People drank, did drugs, hurt eachother, lied, and stole when I was growing up. They do it now. They’ll do it when my daughter is grown up.
I look back at the 40s and 50s and see a society that built muscle cars, treated women like second class citizens, treated blacks like subhuman, though cigarettes were healthy, and believed everything america did was right and just and backed by god. These are values I don’t hold high.
May 15, 2012 @ 22:48:15
I can’t win them all I guess 🙂
There is going to be hypocrisy and evil in every generation, and no era was perfect, but I still think certain things were valued and lived by more in the past than now. That’s not to say we haven’t made great advancements in some equally important areas, but only to say we have to watch that those advances don’t lead us to neglect other things. For example, we’ve come to value all people as equal (which is right and wonderful and needs to be fought for and protected), but that’s tilting towards people also feeling a sense of entitlement over everyone else and an individuality that has us placing our needs above everyone else’s.
May 14, 2012 @ 21:03:51
All that stuff you mentioned was why Cap was my favorite character in the movie (but I always like the goody goody’s…I feel they get a bad rep :P).
I definitely think Sundays off should come back; not for religious reasons, but simply because it’s a day that most folks can agree that we could take off. Also, family dinner every night at the table needs to come back; enough of all this fast/frozen food stuff!
May 15, 2012 @ 22:50:38
He was my favorite too–in case it wasn’t obvious 🙂
Family dinners become especially important when there are children in the mix. It encourages us to eat more slowly, choose healthier options, and to talk without all the distractions we find in other locations. Thank you for that reminder.
May 14, 2012 @ 21:16:13
I hope my hubby and I can get out to see this movie soon. There’s a lot to be said for “Old School Ethics.” Especially work ethics, actually earning the money you’re paid, instead of just putting in time and waiting for a paycheck. And good “customer service” goes a long way.
May 15, 2012 @ 22:52:20
I won’t even start on customer service. I bemoan it’s death every time I have a problem with a piece of technology. I find that I’m very loyal to businesses and brands that offer good customer service even if I have to pay a little more for their product.
May 14, 2012 @ 21:16:39
You’ve made some really great points. I agree that we need to get back to some of the older values of family. I believe that’s what you were looking at. The work hours primarily? I see what Austin is saying and I agree that we don’t want to return to everything. We’ve made too much headway in too many important areas.
But this 24/7 society isn’t healthy. I know my husband is on call every single day. Works HORRID hours. Sometimes coming home at 2 or 3 am and working on weekends. Companies expect results and they don’t care what the cost at the other end of the employee’s family.
I don’t think any city I ever lived or worked in as a small town and I clearly remember things being closed on Sundays. In fact, I remember trying to work around it when I had to do the food run at work because my place of business was open on Sunday (theater). BTW, that was a great first job to have – back then.
One of the biggest changes today is being plugged in all the time. I am completely turned off when I spend time with a friend and they’re texting someone else. Or I go to a reunion and everyone at the table is updating their FB or twitter status. Everyone has forgotten how to be in the here and now and unplug. I think it’s completely unhealthy.
So there are pros and cons with the advances our society has made and I don’t agree with all of them. When I left the retail business we were only closed three days out of the entire year. We joked back then (that was over 15 years ago) that it was only a matter of time before they didn’t recognize Easter as a holiday for the store anymore. Society is greedy. It’s all about the almighty dollar.
Unfortunately I don’t see any back tracking happening in our lifetime. Unless something major happens to force us back. And that could be very bad.
May 16, 2012 @ 15:07:03
The older values of family was my primary focus. Our society seems to be moving so fast anymore that people who take the proper time to rest are actually being seen as lazy or they’re resented with comments like “must be nice to be able to take weekends off.” As a whole, I think we’re headed for physical and relational burnout if we keep going at this pace. One of my major life goals is to be able to have my dream, but to be able to have it in a way that allows balance in my life. How to make that happen is the challenge 🙂
May 15, 2012 @ 00:54:48
I think ‘old fashioned’ values boils down to one thing…acting with integrity. And I don’t think that people even realize when they toss it aside anymore.
There was a story I heard once, about a father trying to get through to his son that a bad behavior could ruin his reputation. To prove a point, ‘Dad’ made a batch of brownies, then offered one to his son. However, he warned the son that, while mixing up the batter, he put one tiny teaspoon of dog dung in. But the brownies were still okay…after all, it was just a LITTLE poop. Obviously the son refused so much as a bite.
Old fashioned values went out the door when people started compromising their integrity. Everyone is doing it…
Everyone goes over the speed limit. Everyone has a drink or two and then drives. So what if there are cart corrals…I’m just going to leave mine here between vehicles.
A little compromise here, another there…and now we live in a world that could use Captain America. (gotta LOVE Chris Evans!!!)
May 16, 2012 @ 15:08:50
What a great reminder about how important the little things are. Thank you! It does boil down to integrity. If we can’t be trusted to act with integrity in the small things, then when we’re faced with a major decision, we’re that much less likely to act with integrity.
May 15, 2012 @ 13:50:55
I remember when stores were closed on Sunday, too. Gas stations, restaurants and everything were closed on Sunday. People went to church then home to spend time with their families (and in my house watch the Wonderful World of Disney).
We all need to slow down a little more and enjoy the precious gifts that we have worked so hard to accumulate.
Excellent post, Marcy! Here’s to Sunday!
Patricia Rickrode
w/a Jansen Schmidt
May 16, 2012 @ 15:11:03
Thank you 🙂 One of my biggest fears is that I’ll reach the end of my life and I’ll be successful by the world’s standards but won’t have any memories to look back on. That rhythm of working hard but then resting hard gives us the chance to make memories and put the right value on the things that truly matter.
May 15, 2012 @ 17:02:44
Wonderful post, Marcy, and I loved reading the insightful comments. What I long for most from the old times is the feeling of community. People knew their neighbours and helped them out and families were more tight knit. Internet is definately helping with that for those relatives who live far away.
Thankfully Finland as a country still is a lot like a small town (not surprising since the whole country has only 5,5 million people). Most small, non-chain shops are closed on Sundays and close early on Saturdays to the annoyance of the tourists.
Also, I live in a “city” of 130 000 inhabitants and my dad who lives in a suburb doesn’t even have a lock on his door. Not that there’s much of value to steal since he likes a minimalistic lifestyle. But more telling is that I live in an apartment very near the city center and I frequently leave the door unlocked. (And our main door isn’t locked either) My husband scolds me for that but during the past 10 years, there hasn’t been a single burglary in any of the apartments.
As a mother, Laura Pauling’s comment really resonated with me. When I was a kid, my family lived beside a tiny woodland where we could play to our heart’s content all by ourselves. I also walked and biked to school all by myself.
I wish I could be as free with my kids but since we live in the center of the city, they’ll have to be much older than I was before I’ll let them out to play on their own, or to go to school on their own. I also worry about my kids a lot more than my parents worried about us. I’m not a helicopter parent but the concern seems to be a common trend these days. World just feels like much unsafer place than before.
May 15, 2012 @ 17:37:24
I think a lot of what you were talking about could be summed up in the work “integrity.” That seems to be missing today.
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May 16, 2012 @ 19:30:51
I just the Avengers this weekend and loved it! I agree with all your old-fashioned ideas:) I’d love to just let my kids go outside to play in the morning and not worry about them every second. I’d like for kids to put the technological toys away and just play and use their imaginations. I love when I see kids outside playing, sitting at a lemonade stand etc. I try to instill some good old-fashioned fun at my house whenever I can.
May 17, 2012 @ 12:46:55
I’m constantly amazed by the crazy-busyness of American life. I grew up in Pakistan and life was so much slower there. I went to school, I was home by lunch, and I had all afternoon to play, read, and daydream.
Here, kids are so overscheduled. They’re in school till mid-afternoon, followed by an exhausting round of extracurricular activities. They may have all these opportunities, but they are deprived of space and time to just be.
May 18, 2012 @ 08:27:02
Fantastic Post! I love that while you are younger than me, you still miss things from the past.
I miss, oh where to start! I miss the day when people literally stopped in to say ‘Hi’. No they didn’t phone before they came over, they just came over.
I miss community fall suppers. Now its a ‘no-no’ to make a turkey/pie/potatoes in your own oven and share it with the town.
I miss the day when as kids we knew how to play ball/football/soccer/a game we invented all on our own at school. We even knew how to divide ourselves up into teams.
I miss the day where the playground dynamics settled scuffles – even for grownups.
I miss the day when while in conversation with someone, I was the center of their attention. They did not feel the need to check the ping of a phone or text someone else while I was there with them. They considered me important.
My husband bucks the trends of technology. His handle on his email says “Sent From My Commodore 64”.
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May 19, 2012 @ 10:45:37
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