HOW DID THEY DO IT?

As I sat here tonight working on the computer I pulled up a game that I wanted to play, you know just to kind of break up the evening and take my mind off of work.  As I sat there waiting for the game to load I decided to make a cup of coffee, then I did my nightly breathing treatment, read for a while and finally got frustrated enough waiting for the game to open up that I turned it off.

Then out of the blue, something jogged my brain and I started thinking how stupid it was to get so upset over this and what would I be doing if I didn't have the computer to get mad at. Well one thing lead to another and I thought, I have spent most of the last 45 years running.  I don't mean jogging running, I mean running though life.

I have almost always and still do have two jobs.  Raised two wonderful daughters, helped with the grand kids, been a volunteer in numerous places, helped a few people here and there and worked on several fund raisers.  If someone needed help I was their girl.  But could I have done all of this without a cell phone, computer, cars, jobs and friends?  I doubt it.  My Grandma Edna raised seven children, canned her own food, made clothes, baked, cooked, cleaned went to social's and was active in the church and their fund raisers and she did all of this with very little money, no car, no phone, no television and during a very bad depression.

Since I didn't know her during that time, I'm not sure if she did all of this happily, but from what I have heard from my mom, aunts and uncles they may not of had a lot things and times were pretty tough but they always had something to eat and laughed a lot. The word "laughed" makes me think that it couldn't have all been bad.  What happened?  Why are so many people unhappy now? There doesn't seem to be very much happiness anymore.  How many of you really know your neighbors or the people you work with?  Do they just sit in the same room or area with you?  It's sad.  People use to know their neighbors and were friends with fellow co-workers. It doesn't seem to happen anymore.

I know that since I have taken the time to think more, relax more and do some of the things that I have always wanted to do I'm happier.  Oh, I'm probably still too busy, but then that could just be my nature.  I hardly ever watch television anymore and when I do, it is with my husband and brother in law or my little grandchildren. Power Rangers can really get to you.

I try to think how hard it would have been to do just some of my daily tasks without all of the items that I listed above.  Cooking alone would kill you.  Grandma cooked everything on a big wood stove, summer and winter.  She had it down to a science.  She made the best bread, the best noodles and no one could poach an egg like she could.  Since I enjoy canning my own vegetables, I have a hard time thinking about doing all that we have to do with no running water and no gas stove. It's just beyond my thinking.  But I know that she did it because I use to help her some and it didn't seem that hard when I was 5 or 6 years old either.  I think that is why I wanted to do it when I got older. I wanted to be like Grandma. Boy was I in for a rude awaking even with all of my conveniences.

In a way I feel sorry for my grandchildren, they have missed out on so much. Being with Grandma and Grandpa was like camping out inside.  I don't think we knew back then what we were missing out on.  But then who cares, we had a ball playing on the farm and both Grandpa and Grandma was always willing to let us help them with what ever they were doing when we could. 

Thanks for stopping by.