The Generation That Will Never Come Back

I am proud to be a child born in the forties who grew up in the fifties, a generation that will never come back.

• The generation that walked to school and then walked back, even if it was raining.
• The generation that did their homework alone to get out asap to play in the street.
• The generation that spent all their free time in the streets with their Friends.
• The generation that played hide and seek when it was dark.
• The generation that rode their bicycles near and far to explore their surroundings, and I mean far.
• The generation that used fastened clothespins on their bicycles so they would sound like motorbikes.
• The generation that went to the park and played on the monkey bars and other apparatus that are long gone because they are considered too dangerous these days.
• The generation that played hopscotch and dodgeball with great delight.
• The generation that played cops and robbers and cowboys and Indians with the neighbor kids.
• The generation that made mud cakes.
• The generation that collected sports cards.
• The generation that found, collected, washed & returned empty Coke bottles to the local grocery store for 5 cents each, then bought a Mountain Dew and a candy bar with the money.
• The generation that made paper toys with their bare hands.
• The generation that bought vinyl albums to play on record players.
• The generation that collected photos and albums of clippings of their life experiences as a Kid.
• The generation that played board games and cards on rainy days or during the long, hot summer school breaks.
• The generation whose TV went off at midnight after playing the National Anthem.
• The generation that had parents who were there for them.
• The generation that laughed under the covers in bed so parents didn’t know we were still awake.
• The generation that is passing and, unfortunately, will never return, no matter how hard one tries.