NEWSLETTER Quarter 3 , 2016
The Good Old Days
F . I . R . E .
NEWSLETTER Quarter 3 , 2016
The Good Old Days
Sister Patricia Stafford , Contributor
One evening a son was talking to his father about current events . He asked what he thought about the shootings at schools , the computer age , and just things in general . The dad replied , “ Well , let me think a minute ……
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I was born before television , penicillin , polio shots , frozen foods , Xerox , contact lenses , Frisbees and the pill .
� There was no radar , credit cards , laser beams or ball-point pens . Man had not invented panty hose , dishwashers , clothes dryers …. clothes were hung out to dry in the fresh air ….. electric blankets , air conditioners and we hadn ’ t walked on the moon .
� Your Mom and I got married first …. and then lived together .
� Every family had a father and a mother , and every boy over 14 had a rifle that his dad taught him how to use and respect . And they went hunting and fishing together .
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Until I was 25 , I called every man older than I ‘ Sir ’….. and after I turned 25 I still called policemen and every man with a title , ‘ Sir ’. Sundays were set aside for going to church as a family , helping those in need and visiting with family or neighbors ….. I miss that the most . We were before computer-dating , dual careers , daycare centers and group therapy . Our lives were governed by the Ten Commandments , good judgement and common sense . We were taught to know the difference between right and wrong and to stand up and take responsibility for our actions .
� Serving your country was a privilege … living here was a bigger privilege .
� We thought fast food was what people ate during Lent .
� Having a meaningful relationship meant getting along with your cousins .
� Time-sharing meant time the family spent together in the evenings and weekends ….. not purchasing condominiums .
� Pizza Hut , McDonald ’ s and instant coffee were unheard of . We had 5 & dime stores were you could actually buy things for 5 and 10 cents . Ice cream cones , phone calls , rides on a streetcar and a Pepsi were all a nickel .
� And if you didn ’ t want to splurge , you could spend your nickel on enough stamps to mail 1 letter and 2
� postcards . You could buy a new Chevy Coupe for $ 600.00 , but who could afford one . Too bad , because gas was 11 cents a gallon .
� In my day , ‘ grass ’ was mowed , ‘ coke ’ was a cold drink and ‘ pot ’ was something your mother cooked in .
� ‘ Aids ’ were helpers in the Principal ’ s office , ‘ chip ’ meant a piece of wood , ‘ hardware ’ was found in a hardware store and ‘ software ’ wasn ’ t even a word .
� And we were the last generation to actually believe that a lady needed a husband to have a baby .
No wonder people call us “ old and confused ” and say there is a generation gap …… and I am only 58 years old .