Deep edge

At times 6 really has to wonder if the world is not just passing me by, and the worst think is 6 just thinks he may not even care. The other night 6 was sitting comfortably on his fine lounge chair, listing to a summer storm , watching black and white TV shows. Soon 6 was transported to a similar summer eve in North Carolina. Andy and Barn were relaxing on the front porch watching Opie catching a baseball, while Aunt Bee was getting the apple pie topped with a dollop of ice cream. Yes there ware problems back them, 6 is sure that Otis was getting a snoot full, and Ernest T was running thru the town throwing rock thru window, but things were simpler back then. Life was centered on Family, religion, and finally achieving the American dream.. in other words Baseball, hot dogs and apple pie. Today things are centered on Individuals, Political correctness, and tech. in other words cell phones, trans fat and designer coffee.  Lets us take a look at the beach then and now..

The physical beach is the same, water, sand, sun and wind … but there it stops!   Today we are constantly made aware on the environment, although it makes me ask the question? Is it just part of the PC (political correctness), Or do we really want what is good for America.  Today we live in a consumer driven  society, back in the day our coolers were picnic baskets made from wood or if you were poor fabric and a few small nails, today we have coolers made from plastic and super glue. In those baskets we would pack some fruit, PBJ’s wrapped in paper, and popcorn and if you were really lucky brownies with walnuts or peanut butter cookies. Today  in the plastic coolers we pack: fruit roll-ups and assortment of Panini’s in plastic zip lock bags, tortilla chips   and pastries. Don’t get me wrong the modern cooler has advantages for example you can put your juice boxes,  bottled water and liter bottle of pop (what the heck is a liter any way this is America)  on top of the ice to keep them cold. In the old days you had to carry a separate thermos filled with god forbid tap water, or maybe some hand stirred lemon or cool aid. At the end of the day, here is what you have: now day’s coolers, wet Panini’s from the ice melt, used plastic bags, non-biodegradable waste from the fruit roll-ups and juice boxes, empty plastic water bottles and a nice crop of mold growing in the bottom of your cooler. Not to mention you have to carry that thing back to your condo. Old day coolers, waxed paper from the PBJ’s (you do run the possibility of the PBJ’s getting wet if you have a dog) , some apple cores, and banana skins and an empty thermos. While back at the old homestead you house is set at a comfortable 68 degrees. Why do you really think that Andy and barn are sitting on the front porch?  Now tell me about the carbon foot print! I really have to wonder if the earth is getting warmer, or is it that we are so used to being in the A/C all day that it just seems warmer?  6 can say one good thing about our new environmental society; it will keep me employed as the beach garbage man OH excuses me, trash hauler. How about beach umbrellas, back in the day they were just like the ones that they rent on the beach, wooden pole with a canvas cover, today they have flexible carbon fiber polls, and high tech 190T polyester .. What is the purpose of the umbrella.. sun protection… you are at the beach!. Carbon foot print! How about privacy Back in the day all you had to worry about was someone steeling you mail out of your mail box, or someone listing in on your party line (on your phone), Oh wait this is about the beach you did not have a phone, or facebook, the only thing you had to concern yourself with was if you were doing something inappropriate under your towel and the wind blew it away! Today at the beach, everyone has a cell phone with a camera, the phone has to be within reach at all times, or even the beach cam… but what really got me going on this topic was the idiot flying the drone on the beach! Don’t get me wrong progress is a good thing, when used for the good of society, but it is a bad thing when used for the entertainment and advancement of yourself.  Our country was founded on Christian values and service of others, not self serving “isms”.

Words of wisdom:  Wisdom defines you, you do not define wisdom.