Thursday, December 06, 2007

The day before

The day before....... we were contented enough. Work was picking up in many areas. New industries were being started to produce goods not needed or wanted a couple of years before. The government had many job programs available for those who wanted a steady paycheck. You might be building roads, parks or dams, but you had a job. Many still weren't able to say that. Farming as always was hard, grueling, sweaty work, but prices were picking up and if you didn't have too much debt or the drought hadn't run you off, you at least had a roof over your head and enough to eat......grown in your own garden.

Sure there was talk of trouble in other places, but we had the barrier of two vast oceans between us and them. Goods were sent, more promised, hopefully, that would be our contribution.

The day after.................we were at war. Out Pacific Fleet for the most part lay in ruins......smoking and sinking to the bottom of the harbor few had heard of. Men and even women were lining up to volunteer to go fight the foes of this country, and our politicians were united behind a president that had to make the most difficult decisions of his lifetime, and he rose to the challange............WE rose to the challenge.............

The challenge handed to us on Dec. 7th, 1941. A day that will live in infamy.........and honored memory for the valiant patriots that answered the call.

Today we live in greater wealth than those hardy souls of 66 years ago could have imagined. People, machines, industry, money, information move with speeds undreamed of a short time ago.

We have more of everything...................

......or do we?

2 comments:

Jean said...

I think because we have so much, we are poorer in many of the most important aspects of our lives.
Things have replaced people.
Things don't love, or laugh, or share, or comfort the soul.
I would rather have those than almost any thing.

Anonymous said...

How suddenly life sometimes changes, without notice or is it that we become so intent on self that we don't heed what is happening all around us. Or is it that we beleive those that give the news without thinking for ourselves.