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Old 03-25-2020, 10:51 AM
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Thumbs up How about a little humble pie - The Generational Gap - Telling It Like It Is

How about a little humble pie - The Generational Gap - Telling It Like It Is
(I got this from my sister in AZ) - 03-25-20

I talked to a man today

I talked with a man today, an 80+ year old man. I asked him if there was anything I can get him while this Coronavirus scare was gripping America.

He simply smiled, looked away and said:

"Let me tell you what I need! I need to believe, at some point, this country my generation fought for... I need to believe this nation we handed safely to our children and their children...

I need to know this generation will quit being a bunch of sissies...that they respect what they've been given...that they've earned what others sacrificed for."

I wasn't sure where the conversation was going or if it was going anywhere at all. So, I sat there, quietly observing.

"You know, I was a little boy during WWII. Those were scary days. We didn't know if we were going to be speaking English, German or Japanese at the end of the war. There was no certainty, no guarantees like Americans enjoy today.

And no home went without sacrifice or loss. Every house, up and down every street, had someone in harm's way. Maybe their Daddy was a soldier, maybe their son was a sailor, maybe it was an uncle. Sometimes it was the whole damn family...fathers, sons, uncles...

Having someone, you love, sent off to war...it wasn't less frightening than it is today. It was scary as Hell. If anything, it was more frightening. We didn't have battle front news. We didn't have email or cellphones. You sent them away and you hoped...you prayed. You may not hear from them for months, if ever. Sometimes a mother was getting her son's letters the same day Dad was comforting her over their child's death.

And we sacrificed. You couldn't buy things. Everything was rationed. You were only allowed so much milk per month, only so much bread, toilet paper. EVERYTHING was restricted for the war effort. And what you weren't using, what you didn't need, things you threw away, they were saved and sorted for the war effort. My generation was the original recycling movement in America.

And we had viruses back then...serious viruses. Things like polio, measles, and such. It was nothing to walk to school and pass a house or two that was quarantined. We didn't shut down our schools. We didn't shut down our cities. We carried on, without masks, without hand sanitizer. And do you know what? We persevered. We overcame. We didn't attack our President, we came together. We rallied around the flag for the war. Thick or thin, we were in it to win. And we would lose more boys in an hour of combat than we lose in entire wars today."

He slowly looked away again. Maybe I saw a small tear in the corner of his eye. Then he continued:

"Today's kids don't know sacrifice. They think a sacrifice is not having coverage on their phone while they freely drive across the country. Today's kids are selfish and spoiled. In my generation, we looked out for our elders. We helped out with single moms whose husbands were either at war or dead from war. Today's kids rush the store, buying everything they can...no concern for anyone but themselves. It's shameful the way Americans behave these days. None of them deserve the sacrifices their granddads made.

So, no I don't need anything. I appreciate your offer but, I know I've been through worse things than this virus. But maybe I should be asking you, what can I do to help you? Do you have enough pop to get through this, enough steak? Will you be able to survive with 113 channels on your tv?"

I smiled, fighting back a tear of my own...now humbled by a man in his 80's. All I could do was thank him for the history lesson, leave my number for emergency and leave with my ego firmly tucked in my rear.

I talked to a man today. A real man. An American man from an era long gone and forgotten. We will never understand the sacrifices. We will never fully earn their sacrifices. But we should work harder to learn about them..learn from them..to respect them.

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It's amazing how humble the elderly old man can put things in perspective. And we think we got it tough. My grand-father used to tell me stories about the olden days and how we kids don't know just how tough things were in his times. It's amazing not having them around any more to help us all put a different look at things back then compared to today's issues. I personally recall when I was about 10 kids used to call me 'Rag's because my cloths had patches on them. The cloths were clean but not new. But I didn't care we were poor - Pap was making about $32 a week at the mills and he would take a second job to bring in some extra money. My Mom would clean house's for the rich women, my sister would car hop to give her extra spending money and to also help out. I would collect bottles for pocket change and later got a paper route. We all contributed to the household needs. I would play in the corn fields and build rabbit traps (live only) then I would sell them to hunters who didn't get anything that day for 2 dollars. I also pulled weeds for a local farmer on his fields. About 4 to 6 of us boys & girls lined up on the rows and pulled weeds in his field for 25 cents per hr. Then he'd take us to an ice cream shop and buy us each a large ice cream cone or root beer float. We had no air conditioners - phones with no dial - operators asked for a three digit number. Then we got dial phones my sisters and I would call weather at least five times a day. Now that's all I can remember. Oh yea my Uncle Butch would come by with his Harley Hog and take me for rides. I was hooked after that I had to have bike! God I'd like week in those olden days once before I die. Man where did all that time go?

Boats
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Boats

O Almighty Lord God, who neither slumberest nor sleepest; Protect and assist, we beseech thee, all those who at home or abroad, by land, by sea, or in the air, are serving this country, that they, being armed with thy defence, may be preserved evermore in all perils; and being filled with wisdom and girded with strength, may do their duty to thy honour and glory; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

"IN GOD WE TRUST"
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