No computer games
No TV in the bedroom
No car lifts to school
No trendy trainers
No designer pants
No holidays abroad
No "healthy diet"
No junk food
No obesity
No anorexia
No money to spend on the
sweets in the shop window
No idea of the time
No idea that they had nothing
Because they had each other
And all the time in the world
My mother hated this photograph, taken in Newport, Monmouthshire, South Wales, in about 1922. (She is the twin on the left of her sister, when they were about 7 years old.)
All she saw was poverty. What I see is community and freedom - a time
when kids could play in the street - which they did from dawn till dusk
if they had the chance. Poverty? They were rich beyond comparison in
some ways.
Bless them all.
Yes, bless them all. And all of life is about our perception of things, isn't it? When I was growing up, and probably until about 40, I thought I had such an unhappy childhood because we were poor, etc. Then the edges softened and looking back now, it seems damned idyllic. Your mom was adorable then, just as she was as she grow old.
Posted by: Fran | Sunday, March 13, 2005 at 06:31
I have a similar photo of my primary school days - what struck me was the 'hope' shining out of our eyes. love this post!
Posted by: krissie | Sunday, March 13, 2005 at 13:14
this picture is priceless. How true the words you;ve written. Riches measured in untanigble assets brings the greatest wealth. Loved this my friend.
Posted by: carolyn | Thursday, March 17, 2005 at 14:37