How Did We Do It?
Us older folks, or I guess it would be more politically correct to say "youth
deprived" or "age enhanced," have lived a most dangerous but adventurous life. Looking
back, it's hard to believe that we have lived as long as we have.
As children, we would ride in cars with no seat belts or air bags. Riding in the
back of a pickup truck on a warm day was always a special treat.
Our baby cribs were covered with bright colored lead-based paint.
We had no childproof lids on medicine bottles, doors, or cabinets, and when we rode
our bikes, we had no helmets.
We drank water from the garden hose and not from a bottle.
We would spend hours building our go-carts out of scraps and then rode down the
hill, only to find out we forgot the brakes. After running into the bushes a few
times we learned to solve the problem.
We would leave home in the morning and play all day, as long as we were back when
the streetlights came on. No one was able to reach us all day.
We played dodge ball and sometimes the ball would really hurt.
We ate cupcakes, bread and butter, and drank sugar soda but we were never overweight;
we were always outside playing.
Little League had tryouts and not everyone made the team. Those who didn't had to
learn to deal with disappointment and learned to try harder.
Some students weren't as smart as others so they failed a grade and were held
back to repeat the same grade.
That generation produced some of the best risk-takers and problem solvers.
We had freedom, failure, success and responsibility, and we learned how to deal
with it all.
It's a wonder that any of our generation has survived to tell of that hazardous
way of life.