I am so grateful I grew up when I did. Such an easier time. Or did I just think it was an easier time? No one in my generation talked about their parents getting divorced and I didn’t know anyone who had ADD, ADHD, or any other combination of letters that defines us. I knew some kids who acted differently but we just called them the “weird” ones. Suicide didn’t run rampant nor did depression. Or did it? Drugs, alcohol – I guess, but I didn’t have any friends who were in that place. Or was it that I was naive?
Should we blame the media or just that there is TMI! I mean, when did it become so important that we look at pregnant bellies of actors? What is that all about? Isn’t anything private or personal? I think not.
I can remember one time my mother mentioning the word divorce when my dad did something to piss her off, but it never happened and I only heard it that one time. I know my parents struggled with money and raising five kids and that my father worked really hard and that my mother, not so much. But they were respectful of each other always. I could, had I wanted, talk to them about anything and would have never worried about being made to feel stupid or inadequate. Some parents today are so messed up that they take it out on their kids and the vicious cycle continues.
I think the OKAY world ended a long time ago. So many people are angry. Some about everything, some about some things. We don’t get a minute rest from the uncertainty of the world or society. I question whether or not as parents we unknowingly set our children up to fail. Is it a good or bad thing to encourage your children to succeed? I see families of high achievers – doctors, teachers, and lawyers who aren’t spared. Are they OK only on the surface? Way too much anxiety and depression. No one escapes! There are no “how to raise a family” or “relationship” rules that we are given in school so it’s all a game of chance.
I wonder if being bombarded all day and all night with all the sadness and evil of the world is part of the problem. Books line library shelves about how to survive life, how to survive any situation you may encounter – a self-help book for anything and everything. As if there is no real answer to what is normal. I think the same applies to are we okay? No answer for sure and not in any book.
1 comment
Your vision of yesterday is accurate. The 50’s were fun and fear free. The 60’s began the scary time. The 70’s took us into raising families so who had time for anything else. 80’s , 90’s and so on brought us into the real reality of the grown up world . That time was our preparation for now or was it? Just think , we will surely be able to handle anything and also everything that comes our way because……….we just can. JHSMEL