I have been wandering in memory for two days now and it's not a bad place to be. My regular work a day life has been going forward while I observe it as an outsider. Yup, that's how old I have become, I can go into autopilot. Oh, I have had to adjust the course a little now and again but for the most part I've just been going on. I am aware of things going on around me but just not paying attention. Ranchers are occupying a refuge but forgot to bring food. North Korea may or may not have exploded a nuclear weapon. There is the ongoing Syrian crisis. And of course, the campaigning continues. For me however I've been in the 1960's for the most part. A far simpler time and far easier to understand. Things were pretty much black and white. You followed the orders of the Police and you didn't get shot. Those younger than yourself generally spoke to you respectfully. If you were married it was to someone of the opposite sex. If you were offended by someone or something you didn't expect law to be rewritten or your right to free speech throttled ! You might get a poke in the eye for offending someone, it was a real threat, but no one went to jail for it. You kinda had to know how to conduct yourself in public, it was a little thing called discretion. Good times and great memories. It was also the time the hippies began to emerge. The first thing they wanted was " free " love. What they meant was not being held accountable for their actions. The " free " was freedom from responsibility and accountability. Sure sounded cool, I'll give it that, I just never bought into the whole scene. I knew, even as a child, nothing in this life is free. And now I watch as whole political campaigns are being founded on " free " and " entitlements. " It's definitely not the 60's anymore !
Something I hear a lot these days is people saying we need to let our children play more, that we are making them grow up too fast. I disagree, I don't think the kids today as near as grown up as we were in the 1960's. The reason for that is a simple one, we had to do things. We had responsibility in the home and in the real world. Oh, it may have been simple tasks but we learned quickly. Want the television channel changed, get up and turn the knob ! That's how things get done, by doing it. We didn't have " play dates " we just went out and played. And what did we play ? Cowboys and Indians, war, hopscotch, baseball, red light green light, kick the can, dodgeball and many others. We had winners and losers, not participants. We were taught to win with dignity but the lesson was to win. You didn't get a trophy for losing. You had to grow up and accept that reality. Those that played exceptionally well were often the popular ones, you just had to find your own popularity. Now our child can just push a button and things are done for them. They are coddled and protected from " bullies " and things that may offend them. The kids in college protest and set up " judgement free zones " so their sensitivities will not be hurt. Sounds more like kindergarten classes than college. They did some protesting in the 60's at the colleges too. I remember well Kent Sate and what transpired there. I remember being amazed that everyone was surprised when they threw rocks, bricks and bottles at armed National guardsmen and people subsequently got shot ! I was in high school then and could have predicted that result. It was the " cool " kids that thought it was so surprising. The same bunch that wanted everything " free. " Right On brother.
Well I'm thinking I will stay wandering in my memory for a little longer. Memories are free and it is the best kind of freedom. It doesn't cost anyone else anything at all. That is something that seems to be lost on a lot folks these days. Everything that is free to you, cost someone else. Somebody has to pay ! Even in being lost in my memories it may cost you something, my lack of attention to you. I apologize for that. On the other hand, I've earned it. Ideally we all learn to have the past co-exist with the present. It is the struggle man has always faced. Some lessons are only learned over time and through experience. The difficulty lies in admitting your mistakes. That is just as true in a society as in an individual. There are times when enlightenment exposes the faults and not the benefits. True enlightenment teaches us which is which. Freedom isn't giving stuff away, freedom is earned. Freedom isn't doing what you want, but doing what needs to be done. The abuse of freedom leads to tyranny. It is a little like being married. You can enjoy that " free love " but the reality is it comes with responsibility. Abuse it and you will pay ! There are times when just giving everything away is not the wisest decision. It may be easier than making a stand but prove detrimental in the end. And that my friends is how marriages last, and governments too. There are winners and losers. You can't win by giving everything away. You win by perseverance and correct actions. It ain't always easy.
Something I hear a lot these days is people saying we need to let our children play more, that we are making them grow up too fast. I disagree, I don't think the kids today as near as grown up as we were in the 1960's. The reason for that is a simple one, we had to do things. We had responsibility in the home and in the real world. Oh, it may have been simple tasks but we learned quickly. Want the television channel changed, get up and turn the knob ! That's how things get done, by doing it. We didn't have " play dates " we just went out and played. And what did we play ? Cowboys and Indians, war, hopscotch, baseball, red light green light, kick the can, dodgeball and many others. We had winners and losers, not participants. We were taught to win with dignity but the lesson was to win. You didn't get a trophy for losing. You had to grow up and accept that reality. Those that played exceptionally well were often the popular ones, you just had to find your own popularity. Now our child can just push a button and things are done for them. They are coddled and protected from " bullies " and things that may offend them. The kids in college protest and set up " judgement free zones " so their sensitivities will not be hurt. Sounds more like kindergarten classes than college. They did some protesting in the 60's at the colleges too. I remember well Kent Sate and what transpired there. I remember being amazed that everyone was surprised when they threw rocks, bricks and bottles at armed National guardsmen and people subsequently got shot ! I was in high school then and could have predicted that result. It was the " cool " kids that thought it was so surprising. The same bunch that wanted everything " free. " Right On brother.
Well I'm thinking I will stay wandering in my memory for a little longer. Memories are free and it is the best kind of freedom. It doesn't cost anyone else anything at all. That is something that seems to be lost on a lot folks these days. Everything that is free to you, cost someone else. Somebody has to pay ! Even in being lost in my memories it may cost you something, my lack of attention to you. I apologize for that. On the other hand, I've earned it. Ideally we all learn to have the past co-exist with the present. It is the struggle man has always faced. Some lessons are only learned over time and through experience. The difficulty lies in admitting your mistakes. That is just as true in a society as in an individual. There are times when enlightenment exposes the faults and not the benefits. True enlightenment teaches us which is which. Freedom isn't giving stuff away, freedom is earned. Freedom isn't doing what you want, but doing what needs to be done. The abuse of freedom leads to tyranny. It is a little like being married. You can enjoy that " free love " but the reality is it comes with responsibility. Abuse it and you will pay ! There are times when just giving everything away is not the wisest decision. It may be easier than making a stand but prove detrimental in the end. And that my friends is how marriages last, and governments too. There are winners and losers. You can't win by giving everything away. You win by perseverance and correct actions. It ain't always easy.
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