Having recently crossed the point in time that I started my journey around the sun, I have been reflecting over the past decades. A lot has changed. To try to list all the technical advances that have taken place would take most of today and maybe part of tomorrow. To sum it up, I can attest, with great truthfulness, that I was once the remote control for the folks' TV, even if I was in another room minding my own business.
I've watched the automobile go from being a block long, heavy sled to a compact unit that will fit in the most smallest of parking spaces. The age of muscle cars and hot rods came and went, then suddenly some have been re-born, the Camaro, Challenger and Mustang. Proving that no matter how much they try to spin the idea of everyone owning and electric vehicle, the human hot rod spirit cannot be crushed. I envision, one day in the future, an underground society of muscle car militia. They will need to be careful though, it will be hard to hide with all those loud pipes rattling.
Hem lines have gone up, down, completely disappeared and back again during my time. Probably the most favorite of all apparel, for me anyway, was the bell bottom blue jeans. I was fortunate enough to live through the era of the bell starting at the knee and being just long enough, and wide enough to cover, but not completely hide, a pair of platform sole shoes. Just the other day I saw a picture of a tiny little girl in bell bottom jeans. I said to myself, oh, be still my heart.
I remember when my best friend's phone number was 8 and I had to tell an operator that number in order to talk to her. Those talks started out at a small little table with an attached seat. Back then, the phone cords were only a few inches long, just long enough to get the receiver to the ear. Then, someone, with a stroke of genius, made the cord longer. Long enough that one could lay on the floor, go nearly from one room to the other and depending on the original placement of the phone, it could be possible to grab a snack out of the refrigerator. Next, the cordless phone hit the market place and even though they were big, bulky and had an antennae, it sure was cool to sit outside and yap. Now, I can stand on one side of the country, type in a message, hit send and reach a friend in another country, in less than five seconds.
All in all, it has been a pretty interesting ride so far. There have been times of bounty and times of deep despair. But, no matter ones' placement in time or society, I believe all people experience these things. I'm hoping there are many more adventures waiting in the isles of my future, but there is one thing I have discovered on my path. I tried to impart this particular piece of wisdom to my oldest grandson, during a heart to heart conversation, which, again in all truthfulness, was me talking and him listening. He nodded, but I knew he did not fully understand, but some day he will, after all, he's only 17. Just the other day, I shared it with a young woman who had just turned 40. Her eyes lit up and I could tell she was just beginning to stumble upon the truth. What I shared is this, no matter how old a person gets, the way they "feel" when they are about 18 years of age, will be the way they "feel" for the rest of their life. Yes, we will change our minds, beliefs, likes and dislikes over the years but, what makes us, "US", will never change. We are a soul, taking a ride in a body. A body that will sometimes let us down and will eventually run out of battery life, but the soul is the spark. The spark, that started eons ago and has been waiting to experience this thing we call life on Earth. Enjoy your path, and when necessary, just avoid mirrors.
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