Growing older has some advantages and some disadvantages. Life seemed to be less complicated many years ago. There was less news, The Bladen Journal was about the only source of local news and if there was a big news story, chances are it was several days before we read or heard about it.
Some had an AM radio, but could only pick up WTSB in Lumberton, WFNC in Fayetteville or WPTF in Raleigh, maybe WCKY in Cincinnati, Ohio after dark and WSM in Nashville on Saturday night if the weather was good, but more static than news or music, constant poppin’ and crackin’. Later, WECT-TV went on the air, but few had a TV and it was difficult to ‘pick up’ with ‘rabbit ears’ for an antenna, even if you had a TV. May be able to see a real person, despite what looked like a snow storm.
The federal government had shutdowns, but the news did not paralyze the area or cause neighbors great controversy. In fact, we may not know about it ’til it was settled, and we seemed to get along OK. Not so today, small groups that think alike gather to condemn those who think differently. We see and hear from all sides, condemning the other and the trust level must be at an all time low.
Conversations years ago were primarily held at small rural country stores located throughout the county. They sold bread, soft drinks, moon pies and gasoline, but you had to pump the machine to the gallon mark, then drain it in your vehicle, if you had one. Some had a hitching post where you could ‘tie up’ your mule or horse.
A wood or trash burning heater surrounded by 3 or 4 straight chairs and an expert occupied each seat, late comers stood until someone departed the scene, or used a Coke or Pepsi crate for their seat. Some portion of what you heard was truthful, but difficult to determine which. Yarns (tall tales) were a regular part of the get-together.
But, I am beginning to think we were better off then than now. Too much news today, too many experts and partisan politics drives a wedge between neighbors, family and friends. And, too few know much about what they are talking about.
We constantly condemn those we disagree with and forgive outlandish, sometimes evil comments and actions of those we favor.
Time to untie the mule, hop in the wagon and get back to the house.
Yesterday is not ours to recover, but tomorrow is ours to win or lose. Lyndon B. Johnson
Learn from yesterday, live for today, hope for tomorrow. The most important thing is not to stop questioning. Albert Einstein
Never let yesterday use up too much of today. Will Rogers
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