Do you remember when we played outside until the street lights came on? Then we headed home and had family at the dinner table together. No one was running to soccer, dance, basketball, karate...at 6:30 pm...because all that was DONE by the time dinner came, that is if we did any of it to start with.
Do you remember when we played outside?
Not Wii, or DS, or Playstation, or Internet, or whatever... OUTSIDE...where there was sun and mud and lots of laughter. (Or in my mother's case, in Kansas...SNOW...where they built snow forts and had snowball fights) What did we play? Our children ask...as they tell us "I am bored". I am bored? Are you kidding me? If we said that to my parents the reply was always the same... Well you know what they say, if you're bored, you MUST be a boring person. Find something to do!" They didn't say, oh...let me go get you a more expensive game, or a new telephone, or anything like that. They did say, at times, "If I hear you say you are bored one more time you are going to your room, and you will be bored!"
Do you remember when fast food was a treat? I mean a REAL treat...something we had maybe once a month (ok twice if we were really lucky)? And candy...right, that is the stuff we had a Easter, Halloween and Christmas. We did however have a lot of homemade Chocolate Chip cookies at my house...and yes, I had a Toll House mom! The real deal too...not the stuff you buy in a tub and scoop on to the cookie sheet.
Do you remember homemade birthday parties? Not the kind at jumpin up, bowling, etc...but real birthday parties? One year (age 6) I had a birthday party where my mom lined up games, and my dad blew up balloons and put them on a board. We threw real darts (I know GASP!) to pop the balloons. That was the same year I barely had a party. The night before three neighborhood friends were supposed to stay for a sleep over. But I started a fire in the back yard with matches I found and mom with eyes in the back of her head and a sixth sense found us. I was sent to my room, and the sleepover was cancelled. I cried... do you remember when you cried and it didn't change anything...because your parents did what they said they were going to do??? In fact...It was another 6 years before my parents even considered a sleep over again...That was some punishment!
Do you remember piano lessons? I wish I hadn't been such a brat, that I had listened to my parents, and that I had practiced...I could be playing piano right now. Mom said I would be sorry...she was right. (Side note, she learned to play the piano and took lessons for three years before she died at 63! Way to go mom.)
Do you remember when life was easier? Friendships were truer? Cars didn't talk to you? You had to roll up the windows by hand, air conditioning in the car???What's that???
Ok, I admit...somethings are better...
But still I miss the good 'ole days ;) (I could go on and on...remember when we could stay up all night and not be tired the next day...now I head off to bed at 9 pm...yawning ;)
#340 Reason I see the hand of Heavenly Father in my life...he gave us the gift of a memory, what an extraordinary thing.
Make it a great day! Only YOU can!
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