Every other summer growing up for about a decade we’d go to California to visit my Aunt M and Uncle E. Then every other summer they came to Texas. My mom lost her parents by the time she was 18 so she became even closer to her brothers and sister.
My uncle E served in World War II and made a career in the Air Force. He and his wife and 4 kids travelled the globe … stationed in Greenland for a while, here in Texas, then Bossier City Louisiana before finally settling in Lompoc California since Vandenberg Air Force base was his final duty station. After retirement he worked in (well he ran) the commissary – civilian contractor – called a double dipper back then. He earned a good living and his purchases demonstrated this living. A new Cadillac every year for his bride … he called my Aunt that their whole marriage – from the time she was only 17. Their house had every gadget of the day. Some pretty funky stuff for the time – remote everything … intercom and central vacuum system – sunken floors and recessed lightning. 1970s chic. I wanted to live in a house like that one day.
I have awesome memories of all those vacations. To me, my Aunt and Uncle were exotic. They lived life in the fast lane. Such a contradictory life style to our own which is likely why I gravitated to it … to be someone completely different while I was there. To try new things and seek out new experiences. I’d say it was the wild 1970s because well it was … wild. We had no idea what was around the corner … waiting for us. I was able to just live in the moment. Only to come back home to my “normal” … whatever normal is existence.
The excess was unreal … there was never enough of anything … the need for more – incessant. They say everything is BIGGER in Texas yet in my experience, everything was BIGGER in CA. We’d eat, laugh, and play – all to an extreme.
As I sit here on this any day … this Sunday … having been to church and then the grocery store, I am rambling and musing … wondering why. Why about so much. Why was it so easy then, as a child, to just be … in the moment. To not care one iota of what was just around the corner. How could we not offer that same experience to our kids? I don’t think either of our two were ever just children. Grown up too soon. Their world was much … well … always so much MORE. Thank you technology.
Ugh, another Calgon take me away moment. I think and over-analyze and ask “what if”. Damn, I need a chill pill. See therein lies the problem. The quick fix. The fiction that is the quick fix. Anything worth doing, takes time. Slow and steady wins the race. Insert your own colloquialism <HERE>. Oh well … Today I will power through. I’m figuratively going to walk it off – “it” being the weight of the world (well my little corner of this world anyway).
Wishing you and yours a HAPPY day. As always, more to come …
J-Dub's Grin and Bear It 