Do you ever during summer daydreaming think about the passage of time over the generations?
As a small lad I had two living grandfathers who were both born in the early 1880s. And when I think about my youngest grandchildren who have been born in 2009 and 2010 I realize they could easily (or not so easily) live until 2100. To know and see and talk with people whose lives span 220 years is mind boggling. The grandfathers predated automobiles and electricity (at least on the farms). Who knows what the grandchildren will witness in 50 or 60 years?
There obviously have been many changes. Technology, inventions, American ingenuity, etc. have wrought standard of living improvements over the meager living conditions faced by all but the wealthy in my grandfathers' days. Laws and changing expectations have gone a long way toward reducing xenophobia, prejudice and discrimination, particularly among races. Yet hatred, bad behavior and sin have in no way disappeared.
Aspects of living are much easier and more comfortable. Yet the challenges of life are unchanged. Who knows what the future holds?
3 comments:
wow, dennis. How do you think your thoughtfulness to this "awareness of living history" has changed over the years, and do you think the dual role of grandson and grandfather perhaps drives the ruminations these days, or is it some other awareness (say, the awareness of yourself increasingly and firmly situated in its own historical perceptions)?
For what little it might be worth, it is nice to hear expression of ruminations of such a nature, and causes me to feel a bit less alone in them - as having children have clearly engendered such in myself.
One day when I am a grandfather I shall be thankful to know i have read your thoughts i likely shall be having, and thusly feel less alone again ( or, said differently, more connected)
Since I wrote this original post we have added more grandchildren, the newest one born in the summer of 2012. This potentially expands the total reach of years I discussed earlier.
In addition, it dawned on me this morning that Carolyn and I are currently on our 12th president. Harry Truman was president when we were born. We have during this time had 6 Democrats and 6 Republicans as president. Interesting!
And while we're updating, I am reminded that as a teenager I traveled with a church little league ball team up to St Louis (from Memphis) to see a Cardinal game in which, best I recall, Stan Musial played. He and Micky Mantle were active players when I first started paying attention to major league baseball.
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