Hurry up and Read This!

I maintain that life's pace quickened throughout my years. Many would claim that it is not life 'moving' faster but instead it is an illusion caused by my aging 'slower' pace. Let me advance reasons why I dismiss that counter-argument. Consider first the changing family unit dynamics. As a child growing up in the 1940's, I remember my parents and siblings gathering around a supper table. The family-meal was that daily time that parents and kids told of their day's experiences. I believe we thus developed a sense of appreciation for various roles, struggles and accomplishments. Even the early evening hours offered moments of family connection and sharing while listening to radio programs or watching one of three television channels.  Perhaps these slower engaging routines prevented my brothers and me  from becoming 'too' self-centered and yet more skilled at social graces than my grandchildren. The plethora of 'FAST' food restaurants dotting every American community speaks volumes to the 'fast' pace society of this 21st centrury! I notice my children's families eating together on 'special' occasions and seldom gathering as a unit around a television, which offers dozens of viewing choices.

The youngsters' activities schedules are overwhelming with multiple committments and demands upon parents to split taxi-service responsibilities. Somebody is always rushing off with a kid to meet a practice/game start time. I recall the days when I drove our children to and from social events. I insisted that my own kids engage in conversation as I rattled off endless questions. I wish adults 'good luck' today with attempts at conversations with the younger generation.  These today kids' are constantly texting with friends or simply mentally lost in a preoccupation-fog manipulating some hand-held electronic gadget. The social mentality seems to suggest that the moment one is 'in' is less appealing than something happening somewhere else.

Entertainment today has eliminated much need for the slower contemplating-imagination. The high-speed crash-explosive visual effects, big-screen movies has replaced the clever subtles once woven into movie scripts. Even the so-called laughter inspiring television comedies and movie comedies that once featured the clown-like antics of Lucille Ball and Red Skelton must have seemed blase' to a new generation that demands more titillating sexual behavior, innuendoes and crude-behaving comedy routines. Fianlly, part of the entertainment change is found in the ever-popular teen love affair with music. The back-in-the-day once embraced romantic love songs that offers understanable lyrics and kept three previous generations from divorcing now give way to the fast phrasing imperceptible rhymes, which are usually sung by a youngman who seemingly has a bad case of 'jock-itch.'