Memorial Day…then and now

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Memorial Day was initiated as a day to honor our fallen soldiers, but has long since evolved as a day to remember all of our loved ones who have passed from this life.  I remember, as a young child, going to the cemetaries with my grandparents to place flowers on the graves of relatives I’d never known…the parents of my grandparents, some of their siblings, aunts, uncles, cousins…so many people I’d never met.  That taught me that we pay homage to those who came before us and who had a hand in who we became, whether or not we ever knew them.

Working in a retail environment that provides a vast array of flowers, greenery and the supplies to make remembrance saddles and cemetary cones, I am heartened to see how many people still take the time to decorate the graves of their loved ones.  I think there are a few differences in how it’s done now and how it was done when I was a kid.  Now people are more likely to use artificial flowers…this allows the arrangements to last all summer (providing the cemetary allows you to leave the decorations up that long…many don’t).  People also tend to visit the graves on Saturday or Sunday, leaving Monday (officially Memorial Day) free to be with family and friends, having cookouts and kicking off the summer season.  I don’t think my grandparents ever thought of it like that.

I’m not saying that one way is superior to the other.  After all, everything changes in this life.  The important thing is to remember and honor the past while living the best life we can in the present.  I’ll be working today, but I am remembering those relatives and friends who have departed this life…Mom, Grandma, Grandpa, Kay, Aunt Deon, Uncle Bernie…love you all and miss you every day!

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I love old people

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No, seriously…I’m not being sarcastic here.  I really do like old people.  They’ve lived so long, managed to figure out what matters and what doesn’t, they tell great stories about the good old days, they’ve made it to a place in life where they just don’t care about what other people think of them, they say and do exactly what they want to do…very cool!

Over the past few days at work, I’ve had very pleasant dealings  with several old people.  Now, I’ll admit,  there are times that old folks can be a little irritable, but I figure they’ve earned that right…when I think about how many major changes they’ve had to live through over the course of their lives…whew…who wouldn’t be a little irritable…In the 50’s, women wore dresses and gloves whenever they went out…no sweats or shorts at the grocery store for them.   They teased their hair, always wore makeup and perfume, used handkerchiefs instead of Kleenex.  Comfort wasn’t the reason they did anything…I mean, really…they wore girdles…no comfort there!  And the men wore suits and ties for every little get together…not just weddings and funerals…I’m thinking ties aren’t really a comfort item either.  And tennis shoes, athletic shoes, sneakers?  Birkies?  Flip flops?  You wouldn’t see old people wearing those for anything (well…the Birkies… you might find an old hippie somewhere with a pair of Birkies on…but not your everyday, run of the mill old person).

And think how different food is now…McDonalds?  PapaJohn’s?  Drive throughs?  Eating while driving a car?  (And we won’t even think about texting while driving)  People sat down to dinner together, ate a home cooked meal and actually (gasp) talked about the day.  Can you imagine how older people feel when they see their great grandkids eating fast food two or three times a day?  Or families just grabbing something quick on the way out the door?  It has to be a shock!

Computers, smart phones…facebook and twitter…I had an older woman tell me (just today) that she didn’t have a computer because she just can’t figure them out…so I didn’t even ask if she’d liked our facebook page…hmm…wonder if she would have slapped me for that?

See, I think my grandfather would have enjoyed computers…I think he would have been amazed at how much easier his geneology searches would have been.  And I could see him getting into emailing the family.  Grandma?  Well, not so much.  I really admire older people who take classes to learn about computers (or anything else, for that matter)…having a lifelong desire to learn is something I hope I’m able to maintain.  After all, someday (in the not too distant future) I’ll be that old lady…sans the girdle…not going there…

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