Is it just me or were our parents right? I sure do remember mine telling me to enjoy my childhood - that it wouldn't last long. Boy, they were right about that! I also remember them telling me they knew more about life because they had lived it, and I remember thinking I didn't want to know that they did. You know why? - because I "knew" more. I was smart, I was educated and I was going to change things! I was going to be different! I was going to be a better parent, a better spouse and a better person for my community. I was going to help change things, but first and foremost I was going to have a much more exciting life! I was going to go places, do things, and never, EVER think like my parents did.
And now I am 40. I am married. I have three kids. I haven't "changed" things much that I know of, except a lot of diapers and my hair color. And, to beat the band, I find myself thinking and saying the same ridiculous things my parents did, except they don't sound so ridiculous anymore. They sort of ring true. And the ringing in my ears of the "truth" of their words, has a certain bite. No matter how true, there is still the bite!
But, the bite for me, honestly and much to my dismay, is not that they were right. Oh no! the bite for me is that I know they were right. You see, I miss the slow pace and smallness and security of the world I grew up in! I miss the fact that without a doubt I could meet up with my best friend on our bicycles every day after school. I miss going out to the garden with my mom during the summer to pick the ripest tomato for lunch (yes, that was our lunch, along with some slices of white bread and mayonnaise.) I miss the fact that I knew we were going to sit down as a family every night and eat dinner, and I even miss the fact that I had to clean EVERY Saturday morning without fail. My most favorite is the fact that no matter what, we were going to go to church every Sunday morning as a family. Those were some of my best memories.
Our world is so vastly different today. I have given up any chances of a career for 15 years in order to be at home with my kids and STILL can't seem to find the time to make sure we have dinner together EVERY evening. As hard as I try, I still can't seem to keep up with the pace of our lives. As educated and willful as I have always been against such a fast-paced culture, I still can't help but be sucked in! And honestly, I can't even at this point put into words what I feel inside.
All I know is this - Lord, help us. Help us to slow down. Help us to live simply. Help us to go visit with someone on a Sunday afternoon without thinking about where we need to be next. Help us to sit on our porch and talk with our kids and tell them how things "used to be"..............
