The Best Answer an Older Person Can Give

The Best Answer an Older Person Can Give

Some time ago, a loving gradnson was talking to his grandmother about modern life. He asked for her opinion on everything that has been going on in the last years. His grandmother gave him a long look and said: "Well, let me see...   I was born before:   * penicillin    * television    * frozen foods  * Xerox  * contact lenses  * Frisbees and  * the pill  There were no: * credit cards  * laser beams or  * ball-point pens  Man had not yet invented: * pantyhose  * air conditioners  * dishwashers  * clothes dryers  * and the clothes were hung out to dry in the fresh air and    Nor has man walked on the moon yet.   Your Grandfather didn*t live together until we got married. There were very few single mothers. Until I was 25, I called every man older than me, "Sir." And after I turned 25, I still called policemen and every man with a title, "Sir." We were before gay-rights, computer-dating, dual careers, daycare centers, and group therapy. Our lives were governed by the Ten Commandments, good judgment, and common sense. We were taught to know the difference between right and wrong and to stand up and take responsibility for our actions. Serving your country was a privilege; living in this country was a bigger privilege. We thought fast food was what people ate during Lent.   Having a meaningful relationship meant getting along with your cousins. Draft dodgers were those who closed front doors as the evening breeze started. Time-sharing meant time the family spent together in the evenings and weekends, not purchasing condominiums. We never heard of FM radios, tape decks, CD*s, electric typewriters, yogurt, or guys wearing earrings. We listened to Big Bands, Jack Benny, and the President*s speeches on our radios. If you saw anything with *Made in Japan * on it, it was junk.   The term *making out* referred to how you did on your school exam. Pizza Hut, McDonald*s, and instant coffee were unheard of. We had 5 & 10-cent (5 and dime) stores where you could actually buy things for 5 and 10 cents. Ice-cream cones, phone calls, rides on a streetcar, and a Pepsi were all a nickel. And if you didn*t want to splurge, you could spend your nickel on enough stamps to mail 1 letter and 2 postcards. You could buy a new Ford Coupe for $600, but who could afford one? Too bad, because gas was 11 cents a gallon.  In my day: * "grass" was mowed,  * "coke" was a cold drink,  * "pot" was something your mother cooked in and  * "rock music" was your grandmother*s lullaby.  * "Aids" were helpers in the Principal*s office,  * "chip" meant a piece of wood,  * "hardware" was found in a hardware store and.  * "software" wasn*t even a word. We volunteered to protect our precious country. No wonder people call us "old and confused" and say there is a generation gap. How old do you think I am? Read on to see... Are you ready?? * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * This woman would be only 61 years old. She would have been born in late 1952. Gives you something to think about, doesn't it? So much has changed in one lifetime. Pass these on to the people who remember those times and to the young ones, just to see if they believe it!