Things change.................

When I got married to an American I was told in no uncertain terms that it would mean giving up my country to follow my husband. That I would be living in America now. Well I listened and it was understood that one "followed ones husband" where ever it was that he lived. That was the air force for you. As at that time we had no intent of moving to the States so I didn't think much of it. He had been in a road accident that left him just under 4 years required for the air force to pay for his family to move. I had intended to stay with my parents and 3 kids until he got back and got out of the air force. Then everything changed. They gave us the go ahead, they would pay for us to move. It seemed like a good idea to go, meet his family and maybe work a couple of years then go back..............the rest as they say is history. It never happened. That's another story. The thing is in those days one could not travel to the United States or most other countries for that matter without vaccinations.

Things like childhood diseases were almost wiped out due to vaccinations...........and no one had a choice. Didn't question it. My parents generation were probably most thankful that someone came up with ways to prevent what most children suffered as a matter of course. I know I got measles and I was very sick from it.
Thank heaven a vaccine for Polio came along. I do remember one unfortunate child in our village contracted it. It was a warning to us all. Most of us as children were free to roam at will and we did. We learned not to hang around stagnant water and to avoid the rivers and streams. We did as we were told.

The Iron Lung was what happened to those unfortunates who contracted Polio. Something to be dreaded. So it was that we got the first Polio vaccines on sugar lumps. Not so bad, but then later the boosters were by injection, not so nice but better than getting Polio.
Later we got the smallpox vaccine and we all lived with a little scar on our arms, you don't see that these days. All these things got better. Mine was not so nice and involved a broken test tube and the doc blowing the stuff into the scrape.
My point is this, we all did what we had to do to avoid these terrible things. Now parents elect to not give their children shots.Those diseases are coming back. It has not been proven that the vaccines cause other problems such as Autism and ADD ADHD but one can not ignore the fact that these conditions have evolved in recent years. I never remember hearing of such things as a child. We wore ourselves out every day, got rid of that pent up energy. So to me, even if it turns out to be true and it very well may...........what is worse? The crippling effects and even death from the childhood diseases themselves, the epidemics we all feared? Personally I stand by the vaccines. I remember the days without them too well.

Things like birth control were not available to anyone but married people back in the 1960s and there was no pill. Women got pregnant and lived with the consequences. In England there were social programs that helped the girls get through that time. Abortion was not something that could be done. It could if you knew how and who to go to but that was more often a death sentence and most likely the end of childbearing years for the woman. Now there is birth control but the abortion rate is sky high. I am totally against abortion the only exception being the health of the mother or child. Having said that I also believe it should be legal simply because women who are desperate will do anything necessary at the time. I don't know if I would have or not, I had no choice in the matter, but what if I had????? I am glad I didn't. Thing is, it's a moral issue not a legal one. That's what needs to change.I can not get behind anyone who says that life does not begin at conception. It's a silly question. It just does. Having said that it is not yet a child. I can justify abortion if it's done in a humane way within 3 months of conception and that is the time the mother has to know her health and that of the unborn, or if she was raped or any other way forced into sex. There are just so many other good options that she can choose. I maintain that respect for the life of the child is important, should be acknowledged and mourned should it be terminated. Not brushed away as irrelevant and to say "my body my choice" a big fat NO to that. Your choice was made when you had sex. I kept my child with no reservations or regrets a friend at the same time gave hers up for adoption.
You give the child a chance at life no matter the surroundings or conditions. Each child has the choice in living a good or bad life no matter what. Poverty does not preclude that, situations change. If we destroy life then we also destroy the potential that person could have had and who knows how that would affect the world. To me we do not have the right to end life.





So much has changed in my life time. Children no longer have the freedom I did, or indeed that my children had. Being able to roam wherever we chose. We knew to seek an adult if we were hurt and I did on several occasions when I was alone over the fields. Knock on a farmers door for a drink of water not knowing them, and been given what we asked for. Children did that. Children were safe. We parked our prams and babies outside of the shops as we went in to shop and some (not me)getting half way home before remembering the babe was still outside the shop. We also knew if we were in danger or trouble that the Knight in White armour was the local police man. They were there to save us when in danger. They rode bikes where I came from. No patrol cars back then. Then again if caught being trouble makers they would take us home to dad who would then deal out punishment. "wait till your dad comes home" was a threat that had meaning. Stories my Dad told me makes me think that boys more so than girls were given that threat often. My dad had 9 brothers and sisters and some day I must write of his exploits. Apparently not much changed into his young adult life when he met my Mums brothers. The war ended all that.


So back to today's kids.........well I can't define a generation but I see so much lack of respect. Lack of enthusiasm for living a life that is not on line. They can't cope with bullies because they are not allowed to. My Dad taught me to stand up to them and it worked for me. Now they seem to be worse and have no conscious or pity. Children let them continue and when its on line do not seem to have the ability to just turn it off. I am judging by people I know rather than in general. They live for their electronics and live a life there rather than in person. Interaction with friends is online rather than in person a lot of the time.

We had so much fun as young people we saw all the big music stars in concerts or at ballrooms went to dances and hung out with friends, physical friends. I had a wonderful childhood living in the country, walking and playing in fields and on farms. In my teens it was dances and concerts, sewing a new outfit for the weekend to come. Shopping in London on Thursday evenings going up by train. Then living in London in the 1960s well what better time to be young and in London. When I had my child I was in a Mother and Baby home being disowned at the time but even then, I loved my life.

I lived in a woman's hostel when I worked in London and met lifelong friends there what a great experience. Some girls I knew traveled the world on their own, staying in hostels and working when they needed money. When I eventually went back home and to work I had the best time of my life during the times my friends and I went dancing and to the American Air base where I met my husband.
Times have changed indeed in so many ways. Unfortunately we broke loose in the 1960s and 70s and now its gone beyond that to something not so good in many ways but that's just my opinion. We opened doors that maybe should have stayed shut.........