As I was out this a.m. attempting to reshovel my walkway (again....), I couldn't complete it because it was windy and bitter, biting cold. Far colder than it's been the whole weekend.
That's when the deja vu kicked in.
The stinging in my nose instantly reminded me of being little and walking to school.
I walked to school, every day of my whole educational career. We had no buses...and parents didn't drive kids. We just walked.
And we didn't live close by either.
My junior high was entirely on the other side of town, approximately 3.5 miles from my house. And in zero (often sub zero back then, we had lots of cold weather - much more so than we do now!) degree weather, we didn't bat an eye at getting bundled up and venturing out.
Yet I wouldn't dream of having my kids walk in this weather! And with a hint of a cold? Absolutely not!
It's a funny comparison because my generation of parents didn't love us any less -- or worry any less than we do today; but we definitely had to "tough it out" a little more than today's generation does.
So as I drive my son to school for his delayed opening, and have my daughter home with me because she's got a cold and I wouldn't dream of having her really sick on Christmas or out at recess in this weather - the brisk air and windchill really encapsulates the dichotomy of generations for me today.
No comments:
Post a Comment