Lately I’ve been spending some time thinking about the
difference in the world today compared with what the world was like when I was
growing up. I’m not talking about the technological achievements or any other
modern day conveniences. I’m referring to the changes in people themselves,
their attitudes and the way they see and think about the world around them.
That, in turn, got me thinking about the generation before me and so on and on.
As I continued with this train of thought I asked the question, “Why is
everyone so serious these days?”
Here’s the thing, there has always been war, racism, hatred,
genocides, famine, disease, and suffering in general but these days it feels
like this is all we focus on. The current state of the world feels tragic and
it appears that this feeling of tragedy is shared by a great many people. We
hear all sorts of reports about young people today and how they have to deal
with this, that, and the other thing and how much of a toll it takes on them,
but everyone seems to forget that we all grew up with many of the same things we
just handled it a bit different. Our solutions consisted mostly of either never
speaking about it or just dealing with it because that’s the way life is. This
isn’t going to be a post, however, about the tragedies of a generation, no;
this is going to be a post of remembrance, one that will hopefully invoke that
world consciousness and strike a chord within humanity that allows people to
finally, once again, lighten up!
Let’s take a look. In fairly recent U.S. history we had the “roaring”
twenties and even in the middle of a depression and prohibition the party
spirit carried on with the speak easies and
some good ol’ fashioned, sometimes blinding, moonshine. The forties were
fab and the war boys and the girls of the U.S.O. made even the horrific event of
a world war seem classy and the country rallied to everyone’s aid. People
donated their tires; they saved up their green stamps and harvested their
victory gardens. By the fifties everyone was living the “American Dream” even
if you had nothing at all you knew you didn’t have to remain that way, with
some hard work and some frugal spending anyone could own their own little piece
of America. The sixties may have seen a huge revolution and a change in how
humanity looked at each other, but it also ushered in the decade of brotherly
love where, “If you can’t be with the one you love, honey, love the one you’re
with” was the rule of the road, and the road was open to anyone who had a
thumb, a bike, or a car. By the time the eighties and nineties were over
something had happened, the world began communicating like never before and
suddenly it was in everyone’s face.
Is this what happened? Did people “wake up” and realize that
there was suffering and discontent all around them? Is this why everyone became
so damn serious about life? No. No, it’s not! I’m here to tell you why so
listen up. In today’s world we have seen and heard about some awful things,
things that would make your hair curl, make you ashamed to be human. How can we
do these things to another human being, to an animal, to mother earth? Well,
the fact is we’ve been doing it all along. There was never a time in human
history where we were without atrocities so terrible that it disgusted the
average human being to the point of wanting to vomit the foulness from the guts
of humanity itself. The difference? People also knew that compared to the
horrific things that were taking place around them, their life in comparison,
wasn’t too bad.
That’s it people. There was a time in human existence when
we understood that yesterday was gone and there was nothing you could do about
it now, that tomorrow would take care of itself if it decided to be there for
you, and that all you really had was right here and now; and if you’re not
dying then things could always be worse so be happy with what you have, right
here and now because if you want more from life all you have to do is make it
happen. Buck up, take some responsibility for yourself and if you want things
to be different in your life, change those things. And most importantly, while
you’re changing those things live a little, because that’s really all you have
when it comes down to it. It is my humble opinion that people were happier “back
then” because they understood that all you really have is today, here and now,
so enjoy it. The real waste of a life is spending seventy plus years, or
however many you might be given, and never really enjoying it. So people, my
words to you...Lighten up! Don’t be so damn serious all the time. Have some fun
and enjoy being with whomever you’re with right now because you never know what
tomorrow will bring. Be glad that you have this moment and make the best of it.
Enjoy your life for whatever its worth. Peace and love man, peace and love :-)
And here’s a little note to get you started....
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