Life changes

When I went to the funeral of one of our priests this past Monday, I was struck by the fact that he was 90.  Ninety.  9!0!.

It seems impossible to believe that some could live to be that old.  Yet, I've been alive 35 years, and it doesn't seem that long. 

He was born before air conditioning.  Before cars, supermarkets, airplanes, microwaves, imported foods.  Around the time of the Titanic. Before color photos, computers, recorded music.  He was born at a time when a trip to Europe took weeks, not hours.

Thinking about the world when he was alive amazes me.  He lived through the end of WW1 - he was born in 1915 - WW2, Vietnam, Korea, and the current fracas. The changes in war alone are staggering.  WW1 was fought on foot, with hand to hand combat.  Now it's all computers, planes, bombs.  It's a very different scenario.

Now you can go to the store and get just about any product you wish.  Some stores offer entire sections of International foods.  You can buy frozen foods and never have to cook - just reheat.  You can toss a bag in the microwave, and three minutes later pull out popcorn.  Ice cream is easy to purchase, no more chipping ice and hand cranking it - unless you want to work for it.  Fruit is shipped in and available pretty much year round.  You can eat out every meal if you wish, and never have the same food twice.  You can drive up and three minutes later have a full meal in your car, without ever moving from your seat.  You can drive and talk on the phone at the same time. There are a million different soaps and lotions, perfumes and powders out there.

At the time of his youth, no one knew much about vitamins, minerals, polyphenols, anti inflammatories, cancer, dental health.  There was no cloning, no IVF, no heart surgery, chemotherapy, space travel.  Can you imagine living without your current luxuries?  Your current necessities? 

I wonder what the differences will be between when I was born and when I die.  I hope that I will be at least 100.   I already remember a time without computers, IPods, walkmans, microwaves, cordless phones, cell phones.  I wonder what the changes will be that my kids will chronicle?

Comments

[Sarcasmom]

It seems to me that "change" comes at breakneck speed anymore, There will be new technology before I get home from work today. As I read all the changes you listed in 90 years, I was stuck by the thought that not all of them were for the better. Sometimes I think we need to slow down just a little bit.

[Diana]

That is awesome..I hope to live that long! I think about that all the time...what is it going to be like for my daughter! Here from Michele's have a great day! TTYL

[lucy]

I've already experienced having to answer the perennial question, "Did you have _____ when YOU were a kid, Mom?" with a No.

Personally, I think the greatest invention in the past 90 years is Tampax and Diet Coke, but that's just me. ;-)

[Nic]

Yeah, I've had the moment when my six year old neice was sad for me because we didn't have Disney Princess DVDs when I was little. I had to snort and explain how we didn't have a VCR until I was in high school. Grrr, how is it that I'm old already?

[PureMood]

I wouldn't mind living that long as long as I was healthy and good to go... I, too, wonder what things will change when my kids are grown middle-age adults. :) Michele sent me, nice post :)

[christine]

Interesting commentary. It seems that change happens much more quickly than it used to. I mean, I was alive when there were 8 track players!! I've saved all of my old vinyl records simply because I want to show them to my kids! Michele sent me today!

[Valderbar the Cat]

Hi Michele sent me for my first visit here. Wonder iff there was canned tuna 90 years ago. It is a larger amount of time than I can conceive of. The little stuff chnages but love and animosity, pain and pleasures, those are eternal.

[Erin]

My grandmother died a few months ago at 93 years old! She was born right before the Titanic sank. The problem with my grandmother is that she never really got past the 1940s in that she HATED new technology. I mean it wasn't until she was like 90 and had trouble getting around and cooking that we finally convinced her to use the microwave. She hated the dish washer and would insist on washing all our dishes by hand (and me drying the dishes) whenever she visited us. My grandmother loved to send letters and would always use an old mechanical typewriter to write letters to people. I hope to live a long time but I also hope to embrace all the new technologies that will make life easier.

[Jean-Luc Picard]

So many things have come in such a short time.

A good thought; here via Michele.

[Misti]

Its weird to me that my kids don't think anything of cell phones and ipods because they never knew life before them.

helllo michelle sent me :)

[Carmi]

I'm so sorry for your loss, but so glad I was able to read your perspective on life and time. Wonderfully put, and I can't wait to read more.

Dropped in from Michele's tonight. Glad I did!

[Fiona]

My mom was born only four years after your priest! The 19th Amendment didn't pass until the year after she was born. Her first husband was killed in combat in World War II.

I've always felt I had a different perspective on time than some of my friends, and certainly different than some moms of children the same age as my youngest child.