Foggy evening after long work day. Maybe the recession/Depression/economic downturn, whatever we call it is hitting Austin now. Ive heard a rumor that one of the big new office towers down town has been "unable to make its rent". I don't know what that means exactly, for the people who work there, for Austin, if it's the first of many or a single incident. I've been reading lots of old family letters, written during the hard times in the thirties. For our family those were lean times, struggling times but not terrible starving times as they were for so many Americans. Every one worked hard and family members depended on eah other. Those are the stories I grew up on, Depression stories, and I think my consciousness is more of that time than of the more independent, prosperous times since. I like seeing our family and friends coming together now, taking care of and helping out each other. It feels right, real.
I really loved last night - my extended Austin family all together, happy. Except that Bob wasn't with us. Next week he'll be here though, for two whole weeks - and that will feel really good, comforting, steady.
2 comments:
I was brought up on stories of families helping each other and also friends and neighbors during the depression and also before and after. If a barn needed building, everyone in the area came and built a barn. I did not see that happening as a rule when I was growing up, just heard the stories from my Mom.
I heard a lot about my Mom's incredibly hard time during the depression when getting enough to eat was a task that was all consuming. I shared those same feelings at times in my life, too though. I don't know if I was brought up in a better way than my Mom was but I do know that I had it better than my Dad when he was growing up.
I wonder how we got to the point of depending on the government to help us out with so much in our lives. I can't help but think if they didn't jump in or throw money at situations that come up, that we would find our way back to helping each other. I might change my mind in the morning but that's how I feel tonight.
I do like to see family and friends comign together and taking care of each other and nurturing and caring. Without that aspect, things seem so sterile.
I heard some depression stories too. People survived, just could not have extras....and yes, families did help one another and everyone worked hard.
Like Judy, I sometimes wonder as well how we came to the point of depending on the goverment for money or programs. Have many people lost the idea of family helping each other?
Post a Comment