I had a great childhood. At one time, we had horses. At one time, we lived right on the water with our own boat dock. I would ride my bicycle all over. When I was in the first, second and third grades, my friends and I would play our version of polo riding our bicycles.
Life was simpler then. I am at that age where we rode in the back of pickup trucks and on the top of the rear seat in a convertible. For fun we rode our bikes to the local convenience store grab a bottle of RC cola and as many Zotz candies we could afford at 1 cent each. Then we would ride home. We would explore the dried up river bed and walk barefoot on the ashes of burned leaves in the apricot orchard.
That may not sound like much, but we were happy. We didn’t look at a smart phone constantly. I like the idea of having phones for kids so they can be reached or reach their parents in an emergency. But to be constantly looking at a screen or listening to music is a big NO for me.
They say stop looking at the past. Grandma used to say you can’t go forward looking in the rear view mirror. But for me when I think of certain times, the happiness is there in the past. It isn’t here in the present. If I want happiness I find it one of two places.
One is in the past. One is in my imagination. I can smile and have fun in those two places. It’s nice, but sad all at the same time. What can I say?