The Good Ol' Days

April 1, 2011

Lately, I've felt as though the world is changing too quickly.  I'm not just referring to technology or fashion, but to people's core values.  It seems as though my understanding of what's fair or what an individual's responsibilities should be is somehow completely contrary to the views of contemporary society.  Not that I have ever agreed with the general populace; I've always been old-fashioned in my way of thinking.  I have now moved beyond that to viewing my world through antiquated spectacles.


Already having the mindset that I am of a dying breed, my heart nearly stopped momentarily when I found a cafe inside a department store in Indianapolis.  This probably means nothing to you, but to me it represents an era gone by.  So of course, I stopped in....and here I sit, listening to the sounds of clinking china and happy chatter, reminiscing about lunching ladies and a life less cluttered and complicated.  I miss those days of shopping and having lunch with my mom.  Those were relationship days rather than task oriented days; days when we took time to reflect and share.  Life's not like that any more for most of us.  At the end of a work day, we're too tire to interact with real people and too often turn instead to our TV friends.

Somehow, I need this to change.  I don't want relating to family and friends to be just another activity for which I punch a mental time clock.  I'm not sure how to bring this about.  It's one of those inside-out changes where your heart attitudes must change before your actions can change.  Beyond that, I'm not sure.  Life dictates that my time with you be scheduled in my planner.  In this day, there is no escaping that for me.  Perhaps, it lies in being 100% in the moment: turning off the cell phone and tuning in to whomever I'm with, learning the discipline of focusing upon the moment/person.  Another simple step could be to just get off Facebook and actually pick up my phone to call someone, if only to plan a time to sit and chat.  So, don't be surprised when I phone you out of the blue.  I'm not calling to ask you to serve on some committee or to help out with some project.  I just want to sit and share life....just like the good ol' days.