Today I Answered a Question

How has life changed since you were a child? I started to just blab a few lines about the price of gas or the degradation of modern music; but the following is what emerged; and i felt it worth sharing.
Life has changed dramatically in my short time. “I walked 5 miles to school, barefoot in the snow and rain.” This phrase and ones similar to it has made its way into nearly every generation since the early 1900’s. I don’t remember my grandma saying them exactly; however, I do remember her extensive vocabulary and keen intellect. Imagine my surprise at the revelation her education advanced only to the 8th grade!

Studies prove that her generation fluently spoke over 40 thousand words in their daily vocabulary even with scanty years of formal schooling. College graduates today have an average speaking vocabulary of 10 thousand words. Things that make you go hmmmm.

Even in my experience conversing with teens this year i have seen a marked decline in their ability to verbally express their thoughts clearly and at an acceptable speed.

“Highly” educated youth with “straight A” averages seem unable to put two or three cohesive sentences together out loud. Time slumped over devices has actually robbed our future of literate and meaningful expression. Such a tragedy.

In my remembered teen years, we had classes in Debate. We were taught to research topics and prepare speeches and presentations OUT LOUD! Not only that…we actually discussed current events over lunch; eye to eye, not screen to screen.

I suppose every generation sees the next as less than themselves in some regard. Our wistful sighs reflect a deep disappointment for the skills and finer aspects of life trodden under foot by time. Where are the arts? The Rembrants, the Beetovens, the crooners? Dean Martin, Frank Sinatra, Tony Bennett even Elvis himself carried the romance and resonance of the male voice crooning about love and devotion. Where is that kind of drama, pathos and depth now?

Shallow is the best adjective for life today compared to the days of my early years. We lived a happier life I think. The streets were safe and doors never locked. If there was trouble at all, it was always somewhere else…not near our home. The challenges we faced were mostly of the personal nature; our efforts to become better as we grew; and to perfect an ideal we ourselves established through our knowledge of the world in which we were placed. How would we make it better? What great cause might we take up, just to secure the freedoms we loved?

As a generation of baby boomers, we heralded the liberty so valiantly fought for by our fathers and grandfathers. We knew there was a time when war would be no more; and we determined to make that a reality. Our feelings and commitment to the cause of freedom and love of humanity ran deep. Our music reflected these lofty ideals and we sang our way into what could have been the most beautiful outcome for humanity heretofore.

Then the evil ones brought drugs into the streets. The music changed to entice the young ones to “tune in and drop out.” The dreams slowly faded and adulthood burst on the scene with a longing never realized. A very frustrated generation now ages forward with backward glances at what could have been. So, our disgust and sorrow at modern generations; wordless and shallow and complacent make us stomp our righteous feet in anger. My generation would have NEVER tolerated this face-covering, fear-mongering elite takeover of our freedoms. We would march. We would burn the masks. We would demand justice.

What’s the matter with you? Why do you COMPLY with tyranny? How can you just remain numb and asleep while your world and your future are trashed by the violent evil ones? As David said, “Is there not a cause?” Are you so enthralled with your social media posts that you do not even SEE what is happening to our nation??

Now as I sit here at my computer, longing for the deeper conversations of my past; longing for the vehement thrust and determination embodied in a march for liberty; longing for the depth and treasure of the spoken word and passionate melodies, all i can do is pray these humble words and admonitions from the heart of a baby boomer might stir a young person to put down their phone long enough to pick up a flag, a cross, a calling, a REASON to trumpet the cause for justice and the American Way.

So how is life different today than when i was growing up you ask? Look around. Would any of you 30 or 40 somethings allow your six year old daughter to ride a bus alone to the downtown streets of a big city? I did that. Would you feel safe as your children walked out the door on a Saturday to meet the neighborhood kids at a distant park and safely return by dinner? I did that. Would you pack them a lunch and send them on their way? Mom did that. Today?Hardly!

If the ‘love’ generation had been successful and the evil ones not corrupted it, perhaps you still could live free. Alas, however, that was not the result. So, when will there be a generation that says ENOUGH? When will there be a group of young heroes that stand for the good and dispel the wicked; that stomp their righteous feet and demand freedom, liberty and justice? WHEN?

If it were not for the intervention of Jesus in my personal life, my sunset years would be spent in regret and brokenness. My heart aches for the once valiant warriors, now stricken in years, living without that blessed assurance of Heaven and a personal relationship with the God of Heaven’s Armies, our Creator. I have visited with some of them, and they, indeed, are floundering in a sea of regret and frustration. I just ask God to use the days i have left to reach them and, yea, any soul that is hungry for depth, meaning and a richer vocabulary. 🙂

Fight for your freedoms people. Unite under the banner of justice and turn this ship before it crashes on the rocks of no return. Write letters, join groups, run for office…make a difference, stop wearing face diapers that only hide you from your fellow man and divide us further. Stand up for what is right and true and do not entertain the fear mongers. They are liars. Be strong and of good courage because YOUR future children are depending on you.