Do you remember when…….

 

   As the holidays rapidly approach for another year, this being the 75^th for me, my mind races back to events, holidays and many activities that took place in my life as I was growing up. Even as we grow older, we are constantly learning new and often exciting things that help us navigate the ‘older’ adult life.

  When I think about some of the things I learned as a child, one of the early ‘adventures’ was learning to tie my shoes and after a great deal of practice, I finally “got it”. That was one of those early skills that still comes in handy to this day, although most of the shoes in my closet are slip-ons. Today’s challenge is not that I remember how to tie the shoelaces but about bending over to reach them in order to tie them.

   Although I don’t remember the exact day, I can remember, to some degree, the time my parents set up the greatest invention ever created. The radio was put on the shelf and replaced by the television. Ok. Back then the screen was small, the picture was black and white with shades of gray. But to be able to see a picture that moved and not just hear a voice, and sometimes even watch something that made me laugh was great. Those early cartoon shows were really funny.

   I quickly learned how to turn the television on and off, all by myself. I think there was a small knob or button that needed to be pushed or turned. That training, although useful at the time, did not really prepare me for the world of 2021 and the challenges I sometime face when I cannot find the remote these days. But finding the remote is not only about changing the channel but shutting the television off completely. Enough is enough.

   And speaking of channels, I think there were only three channels back then. The shows would begin at 7 AM and go off the air at 10PM, after the playing of the National Anthem. That might not be a bad schedule to put into practice today.

   After a few years, my little red wagon was replaced with a three-wheeler, commonly called a tricycle. It was great for racing back and forth in the driveway. But those bigger kids, what were they riding out in the road. They were riding something that had only two wheels. Wow!

   My first bicycle was blue in color, and I will admit it took me a bit longer to learn how to ride it than it took me to learn with the three-wheeler. Thank goodness for the training wheels. And after a few days and a couple of stitches in my right knee, I was able to master the ’ride’ and keep a good sense of balance. It was also quick for me to learn that ‘balance’ in life, in all aspects of life, is important to have and support. And yes, I can still ride a two-wheeler, without the training wheels.

   And we all know what eventually would follow the bike. Of course. It was learning to drive a car. But that’s a story for another day.

   Another challenge I faced, as well as did many of my friends, was learning how to tell time. In the early years, my parents were the ones responsible for making sure that I knew what time it was. Back then, it was easy to know when it was supper time or time for bed. No clock or watch needed for that. Food on the table or the pajamas on the bed were the give-a-way. But it took a while to learn how to use a clock or wristwatch.

   One of my early gifts from my grandfather was a Mickey Mouse watch. There was Mickey, arms stretched out pointing to the ten and the 4. Now you are probably thinking to yourself…what is wrong with this guy? He should have known what that meant. But the real issue is not where the arms were pointing, but what I was supposed to do at ten minutes to four on any day. Thank goodness someone finally invented this thing called a computer that tells me the time of day or night, my schedule and what I should be doing at that time.

   Learning to count by two’s was a challenge until going to school. Skipping became a substitute for walking for a couple of months along with learning to jump rope. By the way, the quickest way to learn to jump rope? Just stretch the rope out on the ground and hop from one side to the other. Simple enough.

   And let’s not forget about pets, the dogs, cats and even a canary or two. I can still remember our first dog. I was about 6 years old. His name was Patches, a toy fox terrier. And what did I learn? Respect for animals and the responsibilities that go along with owning a pet or owning anything for that matter.

   I think with few exceptions throughout my lifetime, even to this day, there have been very few times when a cat or dog, a kitten or puppy, has not been a part in my life. (We miss you so much Lucky.)

   The things we learned in the past played a significant role in who we were as a child. More important though is the influence they had as we grew into being an adult. It’s more than learning to ride a bike or tying your shoes. It can be as simple or as challenging as learning the meaning of the words ‘yes’ and ‘no’, and I admit I heard them often. What we did or how we responded when we heard these simple words influenced our character and who we are today.

   What kind of adult have I become? All this learning begins at an early age and yes, tying your shoes or figuring out how to turn on or off the television, are important. But let us not forget the many other things we learn also.