Bittersweet Memories

I remember way back when….

When the phrase was “Excuse me” and not “Excuse you”

When did the tables turn? If I am not mistaken, if you need to get by, you are the one that needs to be excused…

So much has changed since the days when I was a youngster popping gum like fireworks and exploring my old neighborhood..freely…safely….

So much has changed since children rode bicycles in packs and parents knew who their children played with because they talked over the fence, in the driveways, at the supermarket, at the schools and as they sat out on front porches sipping something light and watching their children play.

….so much has changed

I would never imagine that people would make horrendous remarks about the President of this country and nothing be done about it. Growing up I felt that it must be a crime to down talk the president because no one dared get on national television and call the president out of his name and no one definitely had the nerve or audacity to point their finger in his face….

….but I remember the time also when having a black president was only a dream….

So much has changed…I don’t like it

I liked the days when students didn’t walk into schools and commence to shooting sprees on their peers

I enjoyed the days that little girls wore ponytails until they were no longer little girls

I adored those days way back when ….

…when you had ten play cousins and you would fight for each and every last one of them

…when dodge ball, hopscotch, kick ball and curb ball were a part of childhood life

…when parents were parents and not friends of children that they wanna befriend instead of raise

…when young folk respected their elders; they cleared a path for them to walk by and they promptly stopped any foul talk when an elderly person approached them

…when schools had Charlotte’s Web and The Berenstain Bears movies in the library and you watched them over and over and over….

…when getting a spanking was normal, not abuse, you could get it at home, at school, at family’s house…

…when you admired your mother because she was pretty, she was strong, yet she was set apart and deserving of everyone’s respect, especially yours

…when home cooked meals were the norm and fast food was a fantasy

…when The Ojays played in backyards while the bbq grill filled the air with savory smells and families got together without fighting…or shooting each other

…when seven-year olds weren’t on suspension they were in backyards shooting marbles

…when twelve-year olds weren’t in gangs, they were at the community center playing basketball and hanging out with friends

…when name brands didn’t matter so much. You and your friends were okay because you all had nothing and nothing was okay because you all had it

…when you didn’t even realize you were poor because you were having so much fun being happy and free…

Now…things have changed….and I don’t like it.