When I was young, my granddaddy would tell me stories about the “good old days” and how kids these days didn’t have the sense God gave a goose. Of course, he also loved to tell me how he used to walk 20 miles to school, uphill both ways, and barefoot.
Every once in a while he would add a few feet of snow into the memory.
I would sit there giggling at him, loving his stories, dreaming of a simpler life, and how wonderful it was to know him. I also secretly thought about how all old people told these same stories, but I never got weary of listening.
Guess what slipped right out of my mouth today?
“When I was a kid…”
Lord help me, did I really say that?
When did I become one of the old people?
Sighs…
In my defense, I didn’t bring up walking to school a million miles (or so) each way. Probably because I didn’t. A bus picked me up about a block or so from my front door. We did however whine about how long we were stuck on that dang bus. (grin)
I was just thinking of a time when life was a bit more simple when we didn’t have cell phones, computer games, and laptops to occupy our time. Amazingly enough, though, we were never bored. We spent hours playing neighborhood games of kickball. If we didn’t have a ball, we played kick the can.
We rode our bikes for miles down trails and jumps we made ourselves.
We didn’t have fancy backyard gym sets, but we knew if we had a nearby creek and a rope, we could spend entire days on that rope swing laughing until our sides ached.
Life was just simpler I think.
When I was a kid…
22 Comments
Hehehehehehe, made me laugh –>> Every once in a while he would add a few feet of snow into the memory.
What is so wonderful about this post, and so many of yours, is that I can hear you speaking! You have a voice, my friend.
It’s funny how often my writing mimics my voice….
Love the photo and the sentiment.
Thank you Sidney! 🙂
When I was younger I always feared that one day I would turn into my father. As I get a little older, for some reason, I’m no longer afraid.
Perhaps as we get older we begin to see things closer to the way our parents and grandparents saw things. Or, maybe we just come closer to understanding.
When my nephew was up from FL. this pas Xmas, i told him a story about “when i was you’re age, i…” omg, it just hit me. 🙁
LOLOLOL! It sneaks up on us quickly!
As always, a lovely post.
But what of the ‘complaint’ about all this connectivity when that’s exactly what we’re doing? Are we all a bit schizophrenic?
I think it has always been about finding balance…
When I was a kid,
I had no worries to keep me up at night.
Life was so much simplier, when I was a kid.
I would love to find that simplicity as an adult.
LOL – great read!
Back in the day (not when I was a kid) cause I just refuse to grow up! Since no cells, I’d go to one house, get a buddy, we’d go to the next friends house and a few moments later we’re having a blast.
The stories I could tell.. hmm
If our kids only knew! LOLOL!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Tt33zqib2qk
This made me laugh so hard! 🙂
It’s a circular thing that goes on forever. You start out thinking your folks know everything, then in your teens you suddenly think YOU know everything and they’re full of caca. Then about the time you realize just how wise they were… You have a kid and they think you’re full of caca.
On the bright side, you can grin at that when you figure they’re a relative few steps from thinking you’re wise and having a kid who thinks they’re full of it. Despite all the change, Some constants remain in this world.
LOLOLOL! Aint that the truth!
Ah. Sitting there in grandpa’s lap listening to old tales on a hot summer night; that brings back memories of a time before TV, internet, and computers.
That is what it was like way back when I was a little kid.
I hope we are creating warm memories for our children….
One of my soaping friends just posted something recently that reminds me of this. https://thesoapbar.blogspot.com/2011/01/kids-who-survived-1930s-40s-50s-60s-70s.html
It’s also a good read. We lived out in the country, so my only friend was my little brother. We rode our bikes and played outside all the time!
Funny how we not only survived, but we thrived!