Sunday, March 23, 2014

The Good Old Days, Nostalgia

Welcome!

I've gotten several emails lately about nostalgia, the good old days.  That prompted me to write a blog post about the subject.

Nostalgia: "Remembrance of things past."
-William Shakespeare

I did some research on quotes about the good old days and nostalgia.  Much to my surprise, most of the quotes were negative!  While I certainly realize that the past was not always ideal, (and we don't want to live in and dwell on the past) much good can be taken from the past and used in the present.

I like and agree with this quote: "I don't think nostalgia has to be negative."
-Van Morrison

Greg and I love the old shows that used to come on TV, so we're gradually collecting them on DVD's-"I Love Lucy," etc.  We get them at Walmart, Cracker Barrel, and online, although a few of these are still on TV.

Cracker Barrel is very popular, because it's whole concept is rooted in the past, and many people like that, as it takes them back to a simpler, less complicated time.  Cracker Barrel carries many other nostalgic items besides DVD's-candies, clothes, etc. that are hard to find anywhere else.  Greg and I love vintage items.  We have a whole house full of them.


Greg and I were recently talking with a couple of people about the Cracker Barrel and another local restaurant that also has country cooking.  We all agreed that that type of food is hard to beat.

Another part of the past that I loved when I was growing up, was our old neighborhood where we knew everyone who lived on our street.  They were more than just neighbors; they were also our friends.  I can still remember walking in the warm sunshine to Sunday school with the other children from across the street.

Another thing I really used to enjoy this time of year, in March, was that my brother, mother, father, and I would go to a large open field down below our house and fly kites.  In winter, on the hill in that same area, my brother and I would go sledding.


Remembering the good things from the past can bring a warm glow to our hearts.  Once, my uncle told me, "Becky, remember the good times."

"There is a lovely warmness about feelings of nostalgia as though one's head is putting on a pair of comfy old slippers and curling up in front of a fire."
-William E. Geist


I don't think incorporating the past with the present is a bad idea.  We can take the things we like best and eliminate the rest.  We can even take a not-so-great past and turn it into a positive present and future.

What good from the past would you like to bring back into your present life?

Positive thought:  Let's make this the good ol' days!
Thanks for visiting!  Until next Sunday, Becky


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