I Was Thinking... Easy to Judge

Every generation has older people who remind younger people how easy they have it, compared to when they grew up. The elder set tells the youngsters how they had to walk to school in snow and it was probably uphill both ways.
My generation was told how our parents didn’t have TV or air conditioning, and had to share rooms with siblings. Their homes were heated with wood or coal, and the upstairs was never warm.
Today I hear people of my age complain about how today’s kids dress, their work ethic and their dependence on technology. They wonder if there is any hope for this generation.
“Look how they dress, holes in their jeans, strange hairdos, and one boy even wore a cap in church. Outlandish!” But look back to the 1960s and 70s in old school annuals. Remember the guys who wore engineer boots with steel cleats? Did any of the current 60- or 70-year-old women ever wear mini-skirts or remember going braless during a women’s rights march? How many guys had shoulder-length hair, beards or sported porkchop sideburns?
Look at some of the wedding pictures of that time and see grooms decked out in powder blue or lime green jackets. In a picture taken on our first anniversary, I had white slacks, a patterned red sports coat, a wide red tie and white shoes. I hate to admit it, but I think in the back of a downstairs closet, there is still a pair of bell bottom pants and a leisure suit hanging next to two hippie shirts.
“But today these kids have no attention span because of all those video games. They probably never ever read a book.” Yet how many of our generation miss the end of a TV show because we fall asleep?
Recently, I went from our garage to the garden shed, opened the lock and had no idea of what I wanted. Later, I watered some new grass in the backyard, went to get a drink and couldn’t remember where I left the nozzle when I wanted to water the front lawn. My wife and I rarely watch a whole TV show without also checking Facebook or playing a game on our phone at the same time.
“But these kids are addicted to their phones.” Recently we had a near crisis when we went to our trailer at the lake. Somehow, we forgot our phone chargers. So there I was, sitting in the dark cab of the truck at 10 p.m., playing a game on my phone while using the truck to recharge it. Then I had to do my wife’s.
Do any of our generation check out a Facebook video on gardening, woodworking, cooking, or homemade remedies to get rid of toenail fungus, ants, or rust on tools and realize we had spent two hours watching our phone screen? Do you feel a little naked if you head out someplace and realize you forgot your phone at home? While we claim not to be addicted to our phones, how frantic do we get when we can’t find it?
“These kids that work in the stores can’t even make change without using their computer register and most can’t even write in cursive.” Yet how many times have I been frustrated when I’ve tried to use my credit card and can’t figure out if I should slide it, insert it, or tap it? I’ve also had to get somebody else to help me get a ticket to a game or concert that had to be purchased online.
Earlier this month, the K-M Lions did their annual sandbox fill. Well, to be truthful, the Lions organized it, but the KM High School baseball team did most of the shoveling and pushing of wheelbarrows. For their work, they received nothing more than a couple slices of pizza, some pop or water and a cookie.
After it was all over, all the elderly Lions remarked on what a great group of young men they were. They were respectful, friendly and extremely hard-working. Maybe there is hope for the future generation after all.

Did You Ever Wonder? — Why can we believe there are four billion stars, but need to check when we see a “wet paint” sign?