The thing I miss the most, I believe, is the ability to converse with my grandad. My grandchildren seem disinterested as they play on their X-boxes.
Are there too many electronic devices today that distract our children with iPods, Wiis, PlayStations, DVD players, and television?
During my youth, I could simply sit and chat with my grandfather. I didn’t require history books or TV programs to learn about World War One—my gramps was a firsthand witness.
He told me that the shells and bombs had names based on the sounds they made and the size of the holes they created. He said the worst part was the boots and his feet. Always muddied and soaked, he described how his feet were rotting.
For the Second World War, my mum, dad, and I all have memories as witnesses. Dismiss the history books and films; actually experiencing it was something else altogether.
Rationing meant little in the way of sweets and fruit to enjoy. While the blitz only lasted a few months, the bombings continued until the war’s final month. That amounts to nearly five years. It was a dreadful time; pets suffered, and children seldom strayed far from home.
The best moments occurred when the entire family gathered to listen to the radio. Tommy Handley brought us laughter. There was also Ted Ray, Arthur Askey, and Vic Oliver. Post-war, we enjoyed Dick Barton, Riders of the Range, and Journey Into Space. In the fifties, the greatest radio comedy series unfolded with Tony Hancock in Hancock’s Half Hour.
Churches, pubs, theatres, and cinemas all voiced complaints. Between 7:00 PM and 7:30 PM, the streets fell deserted as everyone tuned in to their radios for Hancock’s Half Hour. Sadly, he passed away in Australia at a young age.
Norman Wisdom reigned as the biggest star in cinemas, and with the rise of television, Benny Hill became the king, followed closely by Tommy Cooper. Music transformed with Rock and Roll, featuring Elvis and the Beatles.
When you eventually get a chance to connect with your children after they turn off their modern gadgets, what will you share with them about reality programs? It’s no wonder they cling to their computers.
If today’s children wish to learn about their families and life from fifty years ago, they should speak with their grandad. He might recall his grandad, taking you back a full century.
The most valuable possession for our children isn’t the computer or iPod; it’s their grandad.
I wish I had spent more time with my grandad and inquired more about his life and circumstances back then.
By TOG
