I have always loved old-fashioned things. Antiques. Faded sepia photographs. I love that I grew up in an era where my Mom wore house dresses and aprons. It's nice to be old enough that I am somewhat of an antique myself. Are the things I love treasured merely because they come from another time? Do I think that earlier generations were better? Are my dreams about foregone days foolish imaginings? Why am I afflicted with such yearning?
You know you're old when your daughter starts being nostalgic for the eighties. No, of course things weren't better then – we were, and I suspect it's that we're really pining over. If I can just quote myself (God, I love being able to do this):
ReplyDeleteNostalgia — sounds like an ailment, a sickness of the soul perhaps. – Living with the Truth
You ask all the right questions, some of which I ask myself also. There are no easy answers, but I would say to just plain ignore the idiot culture's constant yapping about the latest, greatest, newest things. Looking backward and enjoying the best of what we've experienced is a perfectly fine way to enjoy life. And as a fellow Baby Boomer, just remember that you're hardly alone in enjoying the best of these memories. They resonate for tens of millions of others, too.
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