"In the Good Old Days..."

“In the Good Old Days…”

By Collette

Growing up in a small town had some advantages over life lived in the city. There was a special neighborly feeling on every block of our little berg. Everyone knew his neighbor, played with his kids, shared gossip and stories across the fence and knew he could be counted on when needed. Before I was born every neighborhood had its own grocery store, sometimes a bakery and even its school. Cafes and restaurants were everywhere, and gas stations could be found on nearly every corner downtown. Nobody locked their doors, and you knew your kids were safe no matter where their bikes took them because friends watched out for each other. Life was simpler, slower and richer.

Today, there are only two major grocery stores, no department stores, few restaurants and some citizens never venture out to meet neighbors. Our schools are consolidated with centralized locations. No one sits on his front porch in the summer time, and everyone feels the need to be entertained instead of finding their own fun. Maybe television is the culprit for our lack of motivation to interact with people.

I never wanted to move back to my hometown and live out my life here. Is it just a sign of age that now I miss what I took for granted growing up? I wish my grandchildren could experience even a little of “the good old days.”