Those of us who were born before 1940 - WE ARE THE SURVIVORS!
We were born before television, before
penicillin, polio shots, frozen foods, Xerox, plastic, contact lenses, videos,
Frisbees, and the Pill. We were born before radar, credit cards, split atoms,
laser beams, and ball point pens, before dish washers, tumble driers, electric
blankets, air conditioners, drip-dry clothes and before man walked on the moon.
We got married first and then lived together
(how quaint can you be?) We thought fast food was what you ate in Lent, a “Big
Mac” was an oversized raincoat, and “crumpet” we had for tea. We existed before
house husbands, computer dating, dual careers, and when a meaningful
relationship meant getting along with cousins, and sheltered accommodation was
where you waited for a bus.
We were before day care centres, group homes,
and disposable nappies. We never heard of FM radio, tape decks, electric type
writers, artificial hearts, word processors, and young men wearing earrings. For
us “time sharing” meant togetherness, a “chip” was a piece of wood or fried
potato, “hardware” meant nuts and bolts and software wasn’t a word. Before 1940
“made in
Pizza, MacDonalds and Instant coffee were
unheard of. In our day, cigarette smoking was fashionable; “grass” was
mown, “coke” was kept in the coal house,
a “joint” was a piece of meat for Sunday lunch, and “pot” was something you
cooked in.
“Rock music” was a grandmother’s lullaby,
“Eldorado” was an ice cream, a gay person was the life and soul of the party and
nothing more, while AIDS just meant a beauty treatment or help for someone in
trouble.
We who were around before 1940 must be a hardy
bunch when you think of the way in which the world has changed and the
adjustments we have had to make. No wonder we are so confused and there is a
generation gap today. BUT by the grace
of God we have survived!!
From the Parish newsletter