I think we of a certain age are sometimes reluctant to write the truth of our youth. Will we shock our children, our grandchildren? Probably, but I wonder if it is ever wise to hide the truth? It was an amazing time, seductive and transcendent.
coming out of my shell
Saturday, August 6, 2016
Nostalgia
I am feeling nostalgic this morning. A number of the bloggers I read have been writing about the the shared past of our extraordinary generation. If you participated in the wild times, stood alone and beholden to no parent, trusted wholly in the universe to see you through, then you know what I mean.
I think we of a certain age are sometimes reluctant to write the truth of our youth. Will we shock our children, our grandchildren? Probably, but I wonder if it is ever wise to hide the truth? It was an amazing time, seductive and transcendent.
I think we of a certain age are sometimes reluctant to write the truth of our youth. Will we shock our children, our grandchildren? Probably, but I wonder if it is ever wise to hide the truth? It was an amazing time, seductive and transcendent.
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Ah, "the shared past of our extraordinary generation." Yes! I will always for the rest of my days be grateful for the era in which we came of age. The music and the movements, the generosity of spirit, the hope and dreams for a truly better world. The lyrical poetry of our times. (I found your blog after reading a comment you left on another blog. It's nice to "meet" you!)
ReplyDeleteIt is nice to "meet" you, too. I have seen your very thoughtful comments on some of the blogs I read. I look forward to reading your blog, too.
DeleteWe're two generations past the heavy dues. Now many, many of the young people I know are entitled, with no concept of heavy lifting to achieve goals.
ReplyDeleteEntitlement is worthy of a post all its own.
DeleteThank you so much, Colette. I'm moved to healing tears on my first visit to your blog. Will continue to visit and write more later. It might have been 1968 that I heard Tim Buckley sing at Winterland in San Francisco. And I remember how startled I was when I first heard Jeff Buckley singing "Hallelujah" in late May or early June of 1997 on the CD called "Grace." Wondering about the many generations before him contributing to the DNA that carried that extraordinary voice from father to son and to all of us with ears to hear.
ReplyDeleteI love Tim Buckley's work from the beginning to the end, but in 1968 he was a bit of an angel. I'm ashamed to say I am not familiar with his son Jeff's music. Will have to check that out. Thanks for the tip. Welcome! I enjoy your blog and I always spend a few moments enjoying the photo of your creative space on the blog header.
DeleteThis post of mine, of course, was very much inspired by your Judy Collin's video.
DeleteSome years later, a friend and I saw Tim Buckley again in a small club in Palo Alto. Although he had moved on from his earlier style, what he did with his voice was sublime. Unforgettable.
DeleteInteresting that Jeff Buckley has wings (a bit of an angel) in the photo that goes with this version of "Hallelujah."
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WIF4_Sm-rgQ
Thankfully, some of it stays with us, hopefully the good part.
ReplyDeleteI'm slow to roll, but on to part 4...
Can't wait.
DeleteAh yes, I am so Glad to have Experienced our Era and have never hidden any of the Truths from Kids or Grandkids, after all, as a clearly evident Old Hippie Nomad Bohemian Free Spirited Soul even Today, it's not like I could have flown under their Radar as not being 'different' and marching to a beat of a different Drummer! Bwahahaha Nostalgia is Sweet... I've Lived a very Colorful, Full and Interesting Life and look back upon that Fact Fondly... even the rough patches made me who I am Today... Blessings from the Arizona Desert... Dawn... The Bohemian
ReplyDeleteYour comments made me smile. This is the uniqueness I enjoy about your blog.
DeleteBorn in 1960 I was too young to fully understand the import of that time. Some understanding begain seeping during the 70s but of course, I was "someplace else."
ReplyDeleteI think it is our obligation to share our experiences with the younger. My son, of his own accord and interest has been digging into the past decades. It is indeed interesting to see the turn of events through the eyes of someone who is / was so far removed.
Thoughful post.
Thanks Middle Girl. I think cultural events are cyclical. These current times remind me of the mid-1960's. How fun for you to notice this interest in your son about the past. Not many young people look to the past for inspiration. He must be a special guy!
DeleteYes, nostalgia and Jim Buckley, of course.
ReplyDeleteI raised my child with that music, and she learned how to bake bread and grow food. To some of my generation, this is radical.
We have to tell our children everything we know about life. They may be the last wild generation on this planet, enjoying predictable seasons, more or less open borders and peaceful diversity. They will have to figure out how to deal with the effects of climate change.
This morning, after receiving another digital message from daughter and her kin about their endless frolicking on a Sunday morning in a large and busy European city (brunch options, weird graffiti, street artists, craft beers) we were laughing with recognition, only we never told our parents.
So disturbingly true.
DeleteI hope I'm not just patting myself on the back, but it does seem like our children are generally more open and honest about their adventures with our generation than we were with our parents. Our parent's generation was so different, so scarred by the Great Depression and WWII. Most did not understand us at all. And how could they?
Nothing can top the 60s and 70s:)
ReplyDeleteI can remember hitchhiking. OMG. If my kids did, I'd have a coronary.
Well, that's the reason I don't tell my stories to my kid/grandkids. I don't want to be a bad influence on them.
DeleteHave you seen the documentary "same river twice"? I think you would like it. I certainly do. It's about a group of people who were river guides in the Grand Canyon in the sixties or seventies I don't remember when. It contains footage of that time and then footage of them years later after they went on to do their various things, get married have Kids careers some of them became politicians et cetera.. Only one of them stayed on as a guide. It's a really interesting and thought-provoking documentary I highly recommend it.
ReplyDeleteSounds great.
DeleteA very nice post. I think that's probably as good a key to a happy union as anyone can get.
ReplyDelete45, wow. Have a happy, happy anniversary! And a good trip, wherever your going! See you when you get back.
Thanks. You really meant to post this on my subsequent post (A Case of You). Wish I could figure out how to move it where it belongs.
DeleteMy daughters ask me if I will smoke some pot with them as if the question will shock me. And I laugh and say "Do you think your generation invented pot? I am of the Woodstock generation." And they say "what's Woodstock?"
ReplyDelete*sigh*
Whippersnappers!
Delete