I was very fortunate by being born in the late 60's. Fortunate because I was too young to know nor understand the hatred and violence that raged during the 60's to mid 70's. The first President I can remember was Ford, because it was on the front page of our little 2 page kids "newspaper". I remember it because I had learned to read just a year earlier and I had to read a paragraph about him becoming president from that paper.
In my opinion, jr high and high school years, late 70's to mid 80's were the very best years of this nation's existence. No wars, no protests, none of the racial tension. Our lives were simple. Every morning the pledge of Allegiance and Oh Neautiful before class. I was in my 8th grade year when Reagan was shot. I learned about abortion in my 9th grade year because pro life groups showed us films on abortion in health class. But what I remember and miss the most was the freedom. We were free from war, free from social upheaval, rode our 10 speeds all summer long carefree and joyously. Computers hit my junior year. I took typing and short hand. Damn. Im old! But the one thing I miss most about those years is the safety we had to just be kids without a care in the world. I miss the closeness of community. Each adult watching out for one another and any kid in the vicinity. Every one knew everyone it seemed. If a family lost every thing in a fire, automatically everyone pitched in to help replace what was lost. A kid ran away or got lost within an hour, no internet, everyone was searching everyone knew.
Today. We mind our own business, I hardly see a 9 yr old outside much less riding their bikes without supervision. I dont see kids outside playing in the sprinklers, playing Jack's on the side walks, or even know most my neighbors. I wish I could turn back the hands of time. Go back to When all the senior boys had a rifle in the back glass of their pickups, and people bringing food for no reason at all. I miss not knowing about stranger danger, not needing secret hand gestures because someone bad got me, and needing help. When a gaggle of kids could walk into a library and there was no suspicion, of knowing all the cops' names and having so many i could turn to if I got lost. Yes, I was VERY blessed to be born when I was and I feel a deep unabiding sadness that my kids and their kids never got to know or taste real community connections. Just rambling. For no reason at all except I miss home. Since the 90's I have never felt more at home than I did as a kid.