Warning – Objects in your memories were worse than they appear.
For centuries, older people have romanticized their youths and insisted that things ain’t what they used to be. Well, that’s true, but not in the way they mean it. Most things used to be worse, not better, But it is extremely easy for people to forget how things really did “used to be”.
Beyond living memory, for some reason, we avoid reminding ourselves and our children about the brutalities of the past. The truth is to be found in ancient graveyards and burial sites, where archeologists have to get used to discovering that a large proportion of all the remains they dig up are those of children. Most have been killed by starvation or diseases, but many child skeletons bear the marks of physical violence. Hunter-gatherer societies often had murder rates above 10%, and children were not spared. In today’s graveyards, child graves are rare.
Things are the best they have ever been today, and are getting better all the time.
I frequently share Think Daily by forwarding messages to friends and family. Today, I was pleasantly surprised to see a shout out to my niece, Elizabeth, who apparently just joined the Think Daily family! We often share our own comments between ourselves as well and it’s just one more way to bond and support one another.
Great writing this morning, and very true. Thank you for sharing.
Amen…