Remember the Lemonade Stands?
How many times have you heard that saying, “the good old days”? And I guess the definition of the good old days is dependent upon who you ask. If you asked someone in their 90’s they will tell you, life was hard, they may have had to chop wood for heat, and get water out of a pitcher pump. People in the city didn’t have it quite that hard, but they either had oil heat, or they had to shovel coal into the furnace or onto the conveyor that led to the furnace. In the farming community a lot of families were still farming with horses at that time, not covering anywhere near the acreage the modern farmer covers today. The cars were cold in the winter, and really stifling hot in the summer. I think what they refer to when they talk about the good old days, were the friends they had, and the community they grew up in. All the neighborhood kids, boys and girls alike, would get together for sandlot baseball. Or they would all go down to the creek and float boats, made of paper or cucumbers. Kick the can was one of the favorites when I was growing up, and was often played in the Dyer Park.
Another thing you would see in the good old days were lemonade stands. Often times this lemonade was made from real lemons, other times it was made out of Kool-Aid. We would get any kind of table we could set up for our business, with cups right out of mother’s cupboard. We would have a thriving business because it was a hot summer day, and everybody in the neighborhood would buy a glass, because that’s what neighbors did, they supported each other.
In the 1980s there was a television show on called; “CHEERS!” One of the biggest draws about this TV show was its theme song; “WHERE EVERYBODY KNOWS YOUR NAME”. Here are just a few of the lyrics of that song, and I am sure you will see what the allure of it was:
Sometimes you want to go
Where everybody knows your name
And they’re always glad you came
You want to be where you can see
Our troubles are all the same
And you want to be where everybody knows your name
That is what’s missing from today’s society, and what is so special about the good old days. Can you honestly say that you know every person on your block, their names, the kid’s names, and whether or not they have pets? The truth of the matter is a lot of communities are simply bedroom communities. That means this is where they sleep, but they work, and they socialize in other places. This past week was a great opportunity to build up the neighborhood support system in this area. Getting to know one another, and looking them in the eye when you talk to them, not on social media. To call someone your neighbor, you at least should have met them personally at one time or another, and be able to recognize them on the street. I am aware that life moves at a very fast pace nowadays, but I think it would behoove us all to slow down and live it to its fullest extent. Enjoy your town, your community, and yes your neighbors. Try organizing a block party, where everybody brings a dish and gets to know each other. Those kind of events don’t cost anyone a dime but what you will take away from it will be priceless!
As parents it is important for us to teach our children who are neighbors are, and who they can turn to for help should the need occur. Don’t be naïve enough to think that a situation will never arise where your children may have to get help from somewhere. Teach them to offer help to their neighbors without expecting payment in return. A good way to do that is teach them the story of the Good Samaritan in the Bible.
We as authors, must identify somewhat with the term, the good old days, because we often use neighbors to help the heroines in the stories we write. I would like to think that comes from personal experience, and that you were the neighbor who did the helping in real life. As we have therefore opportunity, let us do good unto all men, especially unto them who are of the household of faith. Galatians 6:10
Thou shalt not go up and down as a talebearer among thy people: neither shalt thou stand against the blood of thy neighbour: I am the LORD. Thou shalt not hate thy brother in thine heart: thou shalt in any wise rebuke thy neighbour, and not suffer sin upon him.
Leviticus 19:16-17
Devise not evil against thy neighbour, seeing he dwelleth securely by thee.
Proverbs 3:29
And the second is like, namely this, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself. There is none other commandment greater than these.
Mark 12:31
Let every one of us please his neighbour for his good to edification.
Romans 15:2
Withdraw thy foot from thy neighbour’s house; lest he be weary of thee, and so hate thee.
A man that beareth false witness against his neighbour is a maul, and a sword, and a sharp arrow.
Proverbs 25:17-18
These are the things that ye shall do; Speak ye every man the truth to his neighbour; execute the judgment of truth and peace in your gates:
Zechariah 8:16