How Old is Grandma?
This is from sUmm3rsnOw’s entry, How Old is Grandma?
How old is Grandma? (Stay with this — the answer is at the end — it will blow you away.)
One evening, a grandson was talking to his grandmother about current events. The grandson asked his grandmother what she thought about the shootings at schools, the computer age, and just things in general.
The Grandma replied, "Well, let me think a minute, I was born before television, penicillin, polio shots, frozen foods, Xerox, contact lenses, Frisbees and the pill.
There were no credit cards, laser beams or ballpoint pens. Man had not invented pantyhose, air conditioners, dishwashers, clothes dryers, and the clothes were hung out to dry in the fresh air and man had yet to walk on the moon.
Your Grandfather and I got married first and then lived together. Every family had a father and a mother. Until I was 25, I called every man older than I, "Sir"- – and after I turned 25, I still called policemen and every man with a title, "Sir".
We were before gay-rights, computer dating, dual careers, day-care centers, and group therapy. The Ten Commandments, good judgment, and common sense governed our lives. We were taught to know the difference
between right and wrong and to stand up and take responsibility for our actions.
Serving your country was a privilege; living in this country was a bigger privilege. We thought fast food was what people ate during Lent. Having a meaningful relationship meant getting along with your cousins.
Draft dodgers were people who closed their front doors when the evening breeze started. Time-sharing meant time the family spent together in the evenings and weekends – not purchasing condominiums.
We never heard of FM radios, tape decks, CDs, electric typewriters, yogurt, or guys wearing earrings. We listened to the Big Bands, Jack Benny, and the President’s speeches on our radios. And I don’t ever remember any kid blowing his brains out listening to Tommy Dorsey.
If you saw anything with ‘Made in Japan’ on it, it was junk. The term ‘making out’ referred to how you did on your school exam. Pizza Hut, McDonald’s, and instant coffee were unheard of. We had 5&10-cent stores where you could actually buy things for 5 and 10 cents. Ice-cream cones, phone calls, rides on a streetcar, and a Pepsi were all a nickel.
And if you didn’t want to splurge, you could spend your nickel on enough stamps to mail one letter and two postcards. You could buy a new Chevy Coupe for $600, but who could afford one? Too bad because, gas was
11 cents a gallon.
In my day, "grass" was mowed, "coke" was a cold drink, "pot" was something your mother cooked in, and "rock music" was your grandmother’s lullaby.
"Aids" were helpers in the Principal’s office, "chip" meant a piece of wood, "hardware" was found in a hardware store and software" wasn’t even a word.
And we were the last generation to actually believe that a Lady needed a husband to have a baby. No wonder people call us "old and confused" and say there is a generation gap.
And how old do you think grandma is???
Read on to see — pretty scary if you think about it and pretty sad at the same time. This is something to think about. How time has changed…
Grandma is 59, born 1946
How could so much go wrong in such a short time?
I remember just a few years ago, we were looked down upon and punished for nasty and improper behavior, cheating, bullying, and othre unpleasant behavior. Now, it’s the opposite. I often hear that change takes a long time, but bad changes do not take any time at all. I just don’t know how all the unpleasant things in life just pop up out of nowhere, and people get influenced by them right away. Why can’t people learn to behave?
The society has always recognized strength and beauty. People have been rewarded for being the stongest or prettiest. Later, they managed to add intelligence and creativity, but they never gave out awards for being nice. People do not focus enough on the most important trait, personality.