Where does the time go?

It almost seems like yesterday, twenty years ago. This song was written, released in 1983 and sung by Kenny Rogers. This song talks about how much easier and simpler life was back then. He is correct, even now looking back to 2001 things were easier. Now twenty years later our country is on the verge of collapse and no one seems to notice.

Twenty years ago I was still hiding my sexuality by being married, when in reality I was gay. Today I am single and have a boyfriend, but not completely out of the closet. Twenty years ago my son was fifteen, now I have fifteen year old granddaughter that I absolutely love and adore as I do my other three grandchildren. I keep telling my son had I known how much fun grandchildren were, I would have had them first.

A lot of things have changed in the last twenty years. We had the terror attacks on September 11. We have been at war since. But why would they say life was so much easier twenty-years ago? Because it was, wages were reasonable, rent and groceries were affordable. Raising a Family then, compared to now was easier. But is twenty years really as long as it seems? The bible says that your life is like a vapor, it appearath for a short time then disappears.

In twenty years I have visited places I wasn't allowed to see in Germany, such as the city of Dresden, Warsaw, Krakow etc. These places were occupied by Russia until the 1980's. I also look back over the last twenty years a realize how much happiness I lost due to living a lie. Our memories will play tricks on us but some lose themselves completely with dementia.

What was different during the days that the song is referring too? I am talking the 1960's. Things were changing in this country and fast. In the 60's we had mom and pop stores that were competitive with retail stores, now big money has shut down ma and pa. Children getting a college degree and deciding I am not going to run this apple orchard. So after their parents die they sale the orchard. Big money comes in and plows under those trees that produced those big juicy apples you used to love and builds luxury homes. I think you get the picture.

Everyone is screaming climate change, well the above is perfect example as to why it is happening. Someone owns undeveloped land and sells it. The buyer puts up new office buildings tearing down three acres of trees. The trees absorb carbon dioxide which allows us to breath oxygen.

Another change over the last twenty years or so is that God awful pounding coming out of speakers that everyone classifies as music, but I personally can't stand it. Give me Bob Seger, Gordon Lightfoot, the Carpenters, etc and I will listen to it all night long. In the last twenty years, I have had relatives die, some I was close too. Nothing stays the same like this song is referring to, but it would be nice for things to remain the same.

In the last twenty-years I have seen more mass shootings than I care to talk about. I am a gun owner and not ashamed of it either. I belong to the NRA and I also practice strict safety guidelines with my guns. You can't see, touch or play with them. If I have the kids over I automatically have trigger locks on my guns. Twenty years ago, I swore I would never own a firearm.