Yesterday

     Why is it that we always seem to think that “yesterday” was so much better than it is today?  Our minds seem to be wired to recall fond memories of the past and to “block out” those memories that produce pain or “bad” feelings.  This appears to be some type of safety mechanism that helps us to cope with things that have happened in our lives.

     I recall on one occasion how my father would complain about the cost of living today.  “Why can’t we go back when gasoline was ten to fifteen cents a gallon?  When you could buy a complete meal at a restaurant for a couple of bucks?”  He would usually say these things when he was having to pay for something that I wanted to have.

     Yet it’s not only a thing that your parents or grandparents might say.  I recall growing up as a young boy and receiving TWO dollars a week for an allowance.  With this money I would go to the Saturday matinee, purchase a large popcorn, a drink, a candy bar, and pay the admissions to the theatre and still have money left over from my funds.  Where have those days gone?

     However, we don’t bring to mind the fact that you had to work an eight hour day and made about $10 to $12 per day wages if you had an average job.  And you were probably really WORKING for those eight hour days!  We never want to put things into perspective.  Yes prices were lower, but wages were low also!

     Sadly, EVERYTHING seems to only go up and up and up!  That is everything except our moral standards!  When I was growing up and attending school you would have NEVER given a thought to the fact that a student may be sitting next to you with some type of weapon preparing to execute your fellow students.  Life has truly become “cheap” in the eyes of many today.    Your only concern in “Yesterday” was if “Mary Jane” was going to be in class so you might have a chance to talk to her.

     You RARELY heard talk about a teenage girl having a baby.  Now the school system makes concessions for those to bring their babies to class with them while they get their education.  And it was almost shameful for a kid to “drop out of school”!  They would only be ruining their future lives.  Now it is advertised that being in school is not that important.  You can “drop out” and become an internet success overnight!

     I guess when I look back the words of my father ring in my ears and they have been found true:  “The only thing good about the ‘good old days’ is that they are gone!”  Maybe we should spend less time looking back at yesterday and begin paying more attention to tomorrow!

QUOTE TO CONSIDER

THOUGHTFUL GEM

"The greatest strength comes from a study of 

the past and using it to create a better tomorrow."