Changing Times

In my personal aging journey, I have intentionally reminded myself frequently not to grow into one of those oldsers I recall (back in the day) who constantly found fault with the current times as he referenced, "The good old days." I truly believe that I am living in good days at this moment.

I have benefitted from today's modern medicines and surgical advancements. Had those meds and treatments not been available, I would be dead. How can one be unhappy or critical of times that produce such life saving factors? The technology that has advanced our medical world has also placed at our finger-tips an endless educational exploration, which affords us untold knowledge, unlimited interaction and shameful comforts. How wonderful are these times?! That said and appreciated, I too at in moments do feel a void or perhaps better identified...a longing.

Gladys Knight, in the song 'Midnight Train to Georgia' sings, "He said he's goin' back to a simpler place in time..." I likewise know of a 'simpler place in time.' I also long for it. It was that simpler time when we took time to visit with neighbors and knew everybody on our street by their first name. Families ate ninety percent of their meals together at home. Our wardrobe consisted of work clothes, casual/play outfits and dress attire because we made the activity distinction and respected some traditional norms as opposed to finding some anti-establishment joy in pushing back.

That simpler place-in-time found people respecting others because it was fashionable. Men opened doors for ladies, the entertainment world was not blatant with sexual innuendos and we didn't need movie ratings because it was generally agreed what was vulgar and unacceptable in general society.  We knew others worshiped differently but we didn't manufacture fears about their beliefs. We understood political views differed but most arguments were about board game competition and who was the best shortstop, Marty Marion of the 'Cardinals' or the 'Browns' Vern Stephens.

That simpler place in time found kid's riding their bikes all over town unchaparoned. The family doctor would make a house call to attend a sick child. A teen newspaper boy called out the headlines as he walked your evening street. He was soon followed by a Hot Tamale Push-Cart vendor shouting out, "Red HOT...Get Your Red Hot!!!" There was only one telephone in the house and when it rang it was either family or friend, nobody was pestering you about unheard of credit cards, donating to some charitable association or asking if you were interested in a home security system...heavens, we didn't even lock our doors at night, we had a dog that served as an alert system.

Today, I find myself living in a high technological era yet the times are most challenging and unprecedented. In the midst of an incredible virus, which has exploded into a world wide pandemic claiming thousands of lives, we are told to 'social distance' from one another...that should come easy; we've been practicing that for years...it helped us transition to sophisticated times from those simpler times.