Old Ways, New Days

Life used to be simple. Grocery was cheap. Gas was affordable. A person could borrow money. People lent a helping hand. People knew how to use government benefits responsibly. The funeral homes weren’t quite as busy. Take your foot off the brakes, let’s go for a ride.

Grocery stores used to be cheap. You could buy something for little or nothing. For instance, a loaf of bread was available for a few cents back in the day. But today, bread is the one of the most expensive things in the store. Many people may think I'm lying but some people make sandwiches in the store. I guess bread is just that expensive. Side joke.

Borrowing money was something people used to do without a second thought and tell the other person, “pay me back, when you can because I know you are having a hard time.” And that person was sincere. Even if the person came to them on a constant basis, they still helped anyway.

Today, we have sincere people. But their kindness gets taken for weakness. A sincere person gives everything that they have and they hear nothing in return but broken promises of "I'll pay you back when I can." But, "when I can" never comes. It always turns into the person needing your help again.

Lending a helping hand wasn’t hard back then. A person saw someone needed help doing something. “Hey, let me help you out.” People would do it without a 2nd thought. But now, a person in need has to do something on their own because people walk right by them seeing them struggle with something but don’t offer to help. And that's quite sad.

Most mothers knew that they needed help with their children. If they got government benefits (food stamps, WIC), they knew it was a blessing. They took care of their children, no questions asked. They used their benefits properly and followed the rules.

God forgive me, these heifers today, I kept it clean, gap their legs open, having child after child, just to get more benefits. And have the audacity to brag about it. Well, while you are out here bragging about the amount of food stamps you get every month, there are some single mothers out here with children that have to work multiple jobs to make sure that their children are taken care of and to keep their bills paid.

A disability check back then was a million dollars for some people. People back then believed in working and it paid off. Today, many people are really disabled but can't get benefits. But, some people don't wanna work in a pie factory, but they want a check. It doesn't work that way. If you can tell someone: I have this problem, this, this and this, you can work. If you can name what all is wrong and no one sees physical signs, you aren't disabled

Funeral homes rarely had funerals. A relative passed and that was it. Another relative may pass away a few months down the line. But now, people are dropping like flies. Some from illnesses, others from violence or freak accidents. One thing people don’t realize is: you don’t have to be old or sick to die.

Parents today are burying their children instead of the other way around. Its heart-breaking and sad. No parent would ever think there would come a day when that daughter or son would be laying in a casket right before their eyes. Some as infants; others as adults. Either way, it’s a painful feeling.

To conclude my story I say this: Life was once simple but that is the past. So, make memories and live each day like its your last.