The way things were

It's undeniable that most of us antique freaks love to reminisce over things we remember from childhood and throughout our lives that have changed so drastically.
If you bring up smoking , someone will start talking about how it was allowed to smoke in grocery stores and doctors offices. If an old car drives by you can't help but to say "they don't make em' like that anymore".
What is it that connects you to the things you collect or sell? What stories can you think of that hold dear to your heart? Would it be your grandma wearing an apron around the house cooking pies all day? Or would it be the smell of pipe tobacco that seemed to drift in the air from your neighbor?

I can think of so many things, but one of the things that sticks out the most to me is the way kids used to be. What it was like being a kid before the internet, before video games, before paintball and insane sports. Even in MY younger days as a child, people were so much more active with family and friends. I remember how the telephone or writing a letter was the only way to communicate with long distance friends and relatives. Most people wrote letters as long distance at the time was expensive! Now days, not many people have a wall or desk phone. Cell phones are in nearly every pocket, bag or purse. Even kids have them! My kid has one. It feels like everyone's lives revolve around their computers and cell phones. Is it true? Yeah it is somewhat. You can do anything with internet, other than hug someone, smell a flower, eat the food you see and so on. I don't know about you, but I sure miss the days when family or friends came over to sit on our porch in the evening to talk and watch cars drive by. I would take that back any day!
As a child before the internet, I rode my bike to my friends houses to see if they were home. I didn't call, not all of my friends had telephones and they just weren't used by "kids" so much back then. If I was lucky enough to find someone to hang out and play with, we did things that required work. Most all my friends liked to ride bikes and build dirt jumps or some type of course to ride on. If we didn't ride bikes, we would walk to the local ballpark and watch baseball games on the sidelines where the fence was. A lot of times someone would offer us a drink or hot dog. Do they still offer things like that to kids these days? I doubt it....we are very careful who we talk to these days. We are so careful, that we are accustomed to ignoring strangers walking by, simply pointing our eyes away or looking down. That actually bugs me. Does it bug you? I prefer to keep my head up and look at people in the eye when walking by, saying hi or hello and maybe smile and nod. That's how I grew up. We are losing the "goodness" in our lives that we so much want to have back when we reminisce like this.
I hang onto old things from my past because they remind me of how simple things seemed to be and how much nicer strangers were to each other. It just seems that's how it used to be. Or is it that as you get older , the more you realize and life is one big complication? If that's true, then that's why I miss the old days.....the days before I knew how cruel and impersonal this world really is. I hope that's not the case!
I think I have a pretty kind heart. I am forgiving. I forgive everyone for their fears and ignorance, so next time you see me.....won't you smile and say hello? :-)