New Talent

Recently, I heard a commentator discuss the results of a poll which to him—and to me—indicate a radical change in society. The poll showed that many young people today have no clue how to do some of the basic things older folks have always done, such as preparing a decent meal or sewing or knitting.

Traditional skills are being lost to the changing face of society. Why learn to cook when you can order out or quickly heat up frozen meals in the microwave.? Why learn to sew or knit when clothing made in developing nations is so cheap and easily available?

In just a couple of generations, priorities have shifted. My mother—just like yours, I’m sure—had skills that the world is quickly forgetting. We lived on a large farm, and she canned vegetables from the garden as well as fruit from our trees for our winter meals. She found time to mend clothing and sew some of our clothes during the long winter months.

Of course, my mother didn’t waste time updating her social network profile! Her entertainment was a little more basic—it was the radio. I remember that it seemed to be on all the time. She kept up with the news and comments of the day, and was entertained by the music, while her imagination made the most of listening to actors reading radio plays. When I talked about radio plays recently, my grandchildren were at a loss to understand what it was exactly. “You mean, no pictures?” No pictures, just your imagination! What a concept!

But the radio is far from dead as an entertainment medium, even in this age of computers and all sorts of hand-held devices keeping everyone connected all the time. More and more well-known people take to the airwaves with their own podcasts. We can only hope that radio drama will also resurge. In a world where video is taking so much space, it’d be nice to see imagination having room to prosper.

 

 

 

 

Thinking green: New vs Old!

As we face disastrous climate changes that are becoming the norm everywhere, it is easy to see that the earth is mad. In fact, it is not only mad it is furious! It is telling us to clean up our act – and quickly.

The other day I heard someone say that “in the past people didn’t care for our environment.” Really? “Yes,” the person said. “People didn’t bring reusable bags to the store for their groceries.” Perhaps not, but they mostly carried their purchases in paper bags that were reused in the home.

And back then, instead of plastic bags milk came in bottles that were washed, sterilized and refilled so they could be reused over and over. Back then people washed the baby's diapers instead of throwing them away. When my children were born I used a diaper washing service, a lot cheaper than buying the throw-away kind. Today, diaper service companies are starting to make a comeback – thank goodness, I say.

In the past, people dried clothes outside on a line, not in an energy gobbling machine. Wind and solar power really did dry clothes.

People like my mother and my grandmother respected nature and little was thrown away. For those who lived through the Great Depression reusing and recycling was second nature. Clothing was mended instead of going in the landfill, and when it became no longer wearable companies would use woolens to make blankets, the rest was used for rugs. Household appliances were repaired instead of people buying new ones. Today, it seems that appliances, big and small, are made to break down and be replaced by newer models. No wonder we’re in trouble!
             Back then, there was one TV or radio, in the house, not a TV in every room.  Back then, they didn't fire up an engine and burn gas just to cut the lawn. They used a push mower that ran on human power. They exercised by working so they didn't need to go to a health club to run on treadmills that operate on electricity.
              They drank from a fountain when they were thirsty instead of using plastic bottles. They refilled their pens with ink instead of buying new ones, and they replaced the blades in razors instead of throwing them away. And they didn't need a computer to receive a signal beamed from satellites out in space to find the nearest pizza joint!

            Our grandchildren may have to pay a high price if each of us, including our leaders, continues to ignore the message the earth is sending. It will continue to be mad and the future will indeed be bleak for the generations that will follow us.

 

 

 

 

        LEST WE FORGET!