Sharon,
I always enjoy your stories and am delighted to find a new one. Your Thanksgiving memory was quite special. Thank you so much for sharing.

Another Sharon

Sharon, those of us who have had a Ninna or Aunt Bett in our lives are truly blessed. Each time DH and I travel to visit the small town where I grew up he always tells me how fortunate I am to have grown up there. It's nice when your stories bring back warm memories to also remind me how fortunate I am. Looking forward to your next story.

Mary, I don't remember that Ninna ever raised her voice over anything. She just turned around and walked away. And I really do understand your tears most of the time. My heartstrings tingle too when I remember.

Hi another Sharon, so glad to have you here at ATP. I love South Carolina. First time ever Ninna got to see the ocean was at Myrtle Beach. I can still see her trying to navigate the sand barefoot and in a long flowy dress, her bonnet tied tight and keeping her hair in place. Now that's a beautiful memory; it was sometime in the 50s and somewhere I have a picture. I need to find it.

Good for you, Jean, good memories of small towns and sweet people are so important. I think they form us, contribute to who we are.

Yea for Myrtle Beach -- got my first glimpse of the ocean there, too Sharon.

Me too!

Thank you Sharon--I had a lovely birthday. I had the day off of work, so took some time to do some things I needed to get caught up with.

I also love Masud's posts and learning about growing in another climate. That;s the best part about ATP--we can learn so much from others.

Linda

Sharon can I ask a question as you might have seen more. THAT generation all over the world, now that we have reached that stage do you honestly think that we are capable of stepping into their shoes or for that matter even your generations and if not, why?

Linda thank you and very kind of you.
Regards,
Masud.

I think those of us who lived it can do it, Masud. I'm not sure there are enough of us to teach others and that's the sad part. I am going to assume you are talking about 'living off the land' and surviving with what we had.

There are lots of reasons why, the first is that we have forgotten or never learned well enough to remember.

The second is that a lot of plants that influenced us, those that were used as medicines or food, a lot of those plants are now endangered and are not readily available in areas where they once grew abundantly.

And the third reason is that we are lazy, spoiled by all our years of modern conveniences. It takes a lot of hard work to be self sustaining.

We could do it if we tried. We could live off the land and be totally self sufficient and there are a lot of us who know how to do that. The real question is would others who are younger or not as knowledgeable be willing to learn?

What a wonderful thought provoking question. I wish I had a more positive answer. I do know families now, not many but a few, who are learning and teaching their children in the ways that I grew up. It will take more, more families, and more people who realize the value in it. Are there enough? I don't know.

I don't know your age, but what are your thoughts on this subject?

(Edited because I forgot how to spell.)

Sorry, I am 57 years old and do give some thought to what I asked you. My answer/insight maybe a bit more direct. I think technology has over taken (how should I explain) growth in humanities maturity level. Our thinking, maturity, human values, morality all seem to have been taken over by technology. Technology seems to have eroded the humane in us. Technology fuels greed and greed seems to drive us headlong into oblivion. There are very few left who care where we came from and where we seem to be headed.
Not pointing fingers in any direction, but it seems to be general.
Regards,
Masud.

Excellent points by both of you. I am concerned about our throw-away society -- also Sharon's third point about being lazy and spoiled about our modern conveniences. And Masud, I definitely agree that our human values and morality seem to be rapidly sinking lower and lower.

Masud, to be perfectly honest with you, I agree and I do think about it every day of my life.
I was 70 last Tuesday. I have seen the best and the worst regarding humanity in my lifetime.

Technology seems to have eroded the humane in us.
True.

It is that elusive humanity that I try to bring to my articles because once lost, it's going to be difficult to find again. I was fortunate. I spent my first 10 years all wrapped up in nature. I was fortunate to have been taught by my grandmother and others in my family who were raised as she had been, and a mother who allowed them to teach me. Seems like every lesson was a lesson in humanity.

I never knew television, it was not nearly as interesting to me as was real life even though we had a little black and white TV by the time I was 10. Same with a phone. Entertainment was listening to the radio on Saturday night, and family gatherings around the dinner table on special occasions. News traveled slowly. We never saw pictures of the atrocities of war nor man's inhumanity to man. I didn't know when I left that little hollow in the mountains in 1960 that I was stepping into a whole new world where caring hearts might become indifferent.

Those of us who were raised as I was and who care as much as I do tend to be a little guarded. There isn't as much trust now. It's like the value of what we once learned, and who we once were, has been diminished. Did technology erase our values? There's always that possibility.

Thank you Sharon, your article took me to a bygone age and past memories of my grandparents and aunts. Trust is no more and whatever little is left amongst families should be cherished. Guarded style of writing is normal in this part of the world where the value of life is the price of a bullet.
Sharon have you ever looked up "The Great Game". It started end 1700 with the railways and still goes on. Players and caste is different but the goal is the same.
Regards,
Masud.

I understand, Masud.

I'll find 'The Great Game'.
Thank you!

"Sharon,
I always enjoy your stories and am delighted to find a new one. Your Thanksgiving memory was quite special. Thank you so much for sharing."

This has turned into a really interesting conversation. I just turned 53. I grew up in the big city, so I'm a relative late-comer to this idea of growing our own food/herbs/sustainabilty much later than many others. I am finding that recently we have all become more concerned about our environment and sustainability. Although it is happening slowly, I see people become more interested in growing their own food, and becoming more aware of where their food comes from. I'm a master gardener--over the past 2 years, we've had so many people come to us for advice on starting community gardens, and growing heirloom vegetables and using herbs.

I think we are a long way from your Grandmother's era, Sharon, but we are starting to see some movement in that direction. I think people are starting to look to our past to find what works well today. That makes me happy.

Thank you all for the thought-provoking conversation.

Hi Linda,

I've thought about this a lot and I believe if we take the best from 'our Grandmother's' era and the knowledge that's available to us today, and combine the two, we would maybe have an ideal situation in which to grow and thrive and offer to our children and grandchildren.

I hope that happens and the more people who are aware of it, the sooner it can become a reality. It's people like all of you who will help make it happen.

Sharon said:Hi Linda,

I've thought about this a lot and I believe if we take the best from 'our Grandmother's' era and the knowledge that's available to us today, and combine the two, we would maybe have an ideal situation in which to grow and thrive and offer to our children and grandchildren.

I hope that happens and the more people who are aware of it, the sooner it can become a reality. It's people like all of you who will help make it happen.

Sharon, I'm with you on that!

I also agree with Sharon.