Sad, but true. My adopted dad, who passed away a couple of years ago, was born in a sod house on the eastern plains of rural Colorado in 1916. His mother died a couple of years later when the flu epidemic killed so many and he was bounced from one family to the next, just another toe headed, motherless boy.
There is an old picture of him from during the "Great" depression, standing with his friends who are all wearing store bought clothes, while he is wearing the pants he stitched together himself.
The intense shame he felt during that time made it hard for him to even look at that picture for the rest of his life, but that shame drove him to somehow overcome himself and his circumstances and make a success of himself anyway, despite not having more than a high school education and despite failing repeatedly.
When I first met him, I thought he was the most hardassed individual I'd ever met and still do. That's what it took for him to survive what life threw at him and throw it right back. My early years weren't all that easy and I think I've overcome my share of hurdles, but the older I get, the more I realize how much less of a man I am by comparison.
His generation fought the Axis and saved the world. Our generation gave all that away in exchange for some political correctness and "free" stuff from GuvCo.
You're right. Collectively, we are a bunch of pu$$ies who had it too easy and are about to lose it all.
Thank you for sharing your story. Do you know where your adopted father was born and raised?
My origins are from the same general area (Trinidad). My grandfather and great Uncle were born during the same time and shared the challenges from the Great Depression. I remember them saying how they would eat Robins for dinner. Apparently much like quail ?
I agree. Compared to the life’s challenges that they faced, we don’t know how good we have it.
Regards,
MFO