"Back when I was a kid..."

yeah, we know...you walked up the hill both ways to school in 2 feet of snow with your books in one hand lunch bag in the other.  We've all heard those stories and now that I'm getting older...and have a little one....I often think about how much things have changed since I was a kid.  I can lose myself in memories of the way things used to look in Virginia Beach when I was growing up and all of the modern convienences that we so easily did without.  My mom lost her mother when I was only 2 years old and she always says "if my mom could see this place now, she'd never recognize it..."   This sleepy little beach town that once was is now a growing and developing city with a "downtown" and a booming oceanfront.  And some times I long to just raise my little girl in the sleepy little beach town I grew up in but I also delight in knowing that all of this development and growth only means more opportunities locally for her...which is pretty awesome too.  And while I could go on and on about how much Virginia Beach has changed...for those of you that don't live here it would be rather meaningless and poor Addie will have enough things pointed out to her (like - see where that middle school is behind grandma and papa's - when I was growing up that was a horse farm) over the next 18 years that she'll never care to read about everything that has changed.  So...instead I'll write about all some (I could probably dedicate an entire blog to "all") of the BIG ways this world has changed over my lifetime but for Addie will always be "how it is."  To mention a few:

* Social media - if you think back 15 years ago, AOL was just coming to be a part of American households...which of course brought about AIM and chat rooms(with creepy stories of 40 year old men chatting with 13 year old girls..gross)...which in my opinion was the most primative form of social media.  Growing up the only person I ever communicated with that I didn't know was my pen pal named Barry (funny, I still remember his name) in England.  I once responded to a letter he had written in which he asked what type of home I lived in (apartment, flat, or ranch) with "ranch" as I grew up in a one-level home in the 'burbs."  Apparently, he assumed I lived on an actual ranch and had farm animals as he inquired as to weather or not I had pigs, or cows, or chickens...after consulting with my father I realized that "flat" would have been the appropriate answer - ha!)  Anyhow, I digress....but you get it...twitter, blogging, facebook, etc. - you are constantly conversing with people you've never met.  Which leaves me wondering when it is appropriate to allow Addie to engage in said activities...surely, when she's 9 we won't be allowing her to have a facebook page...I've got some serious stranger danger issues...but will that be...or is it already - the norm?

* 9.11.01 - I'd be lying if I didn't admit that I sometimes get a little leary when boarding a plane or attending large events.  9.11 changed me and my world in ways I probably don't, nor ever will, realize - I, like everyone else, will never forget where I was or what I was doing or even the first 24 hours after the 9.11 tragedy.  I am always aware of my surroundings and on the look out for anything suspicious...not to the point of paranoia but probably enough to annoy my friends and family.  Addie will never know what its like to meet someone at the gate when they de-board a plane or to not share the contents of her bag with the guard at the gate and I hope that because she doesn't know any different it's also not something that concerns her.  Sure, I want her to be cautious and careful and all those things that overprotective mommas worry about...but I also want her to love the world and embrace it with an open mind and treasure it for the opportunities it holds and not obsess over the threats that hide within it.

* Diversity in the office of the presidency - Barack Obama...need I say more.  And so I'm clear - I'm not talking politics here (my parents always told me politics and religion should never be discussed)...I think its wonderful...I've long said there is simply nothing more beautiful than watching children play together who could care less what their friend looks like or believes in.  We shouldn't be judged on our physical characteristics but rather our character...

* Reality TV - Game shows and the dating show were the closest I ever got to reality TV growing up but now I dare say reality TV occupies at least 50% of what's on TV.  Nothing seems to be personal or private anymore...

* Cellular devices - Aaahh...remember when pagers first came out??  You were so cool to rock one on your hip and you loved getting pages so you could run to the nearest phone and call that friend back if you were out and about.  Now...people just call you on your cell phone and you're pretty much expected to be reachable at all times...which sometimes I really dislike.

Thanks to my wonderful parents, I turned out great (or at the very least I've stayed out of jail, contributed to my community, and provide for my family) but I know that given this changing world there will be challenges I face while raising Addie that my parents did not face.  Do these types of things keep any other mommas awake at night...or maybe even just cross your mind during the day?

As for the deep post...from time to time I sit down and put together a post about something deep and thought provoking...or maybe more like "Deep Thoughts by Jack Handy" ish...but generally never hit publish.  I'm not sure what got into me but I hit publish this time...so here it is.  Hope everyone is having a great week!

J