All the women at one time or other worked outside the home. They actually had more formal education as it was the men who dropped out of school to support the family in high school, and then they all stayed and lived together later in the Depression when they lost everything.
No one ever talked down to each other of any kind, or anyone else in society. They needed each other, they had many hungry nights. Such things as going after each other appear to be luxuries to me, and always have.
Like the ones who now think a small government belongs in a woman's privates. Or felling people who to love or where to live because of race or anything. Where do they find the time for sniffing out the alleged sins of others they want to eliminate?
Where do such people get off? Don't they have anything better to do with their limited days on Earth than screw around with other people?
Such people have always been either a mystery to me or they leave me speechless with their desire to get over on others. How small their vision of themselves and life must be and where they got so petty, I will never know.
We were brought up to respect all people and avoid anyone who gets into other people's faces for that little ego boost. And to look to our own character first, and not judge others.
None of them were stupid, they were quite aware there were true injustices in the world. They got involved to stop them on the individual level, sometimes on the civic level.
They had great anger at times, and could be quite rough. But they realized when they did wrong, didn't make chickenshit apologies, they repented and made amends.
The standard for behavior in my family was high, and it was a pleasure to be able to meet those standards. And a big personal disappointment to fail, because we had an example of people with great life skills.
No one rejoiced or sought to get advantage from another's failure. It just wasn't done, I guess. Life is meant to be lived well, not always prosperous, but well. I have not lived up to all I could have been, and have regrets. But no one in my family did in their own eyes. They were humble, knew that fate might deal them a bad hand at any time.
I am frankly glad they died young, most of them, and didn't see this cesspool America has turned into. Other than my huge curiousity, I won't miss leaving this mess myself. Only for those who tell me they need my help, do I feel badly. But none of us are in the long or short run, indispensable. We all have tasks that will be left undone when we die.
I miss my family, and most of them died when I was young, half a century ago. For me the idea of having grandparents is a luxury; mine were dead before I was born. To have parents who live to see one out of high school, is also a luxury I have not had in life. I'm not feeling that I was mistreated. It is what it is. It does no good to rail at the dead for not being available for you.
Some also have brothers and sisters that lived long lives, which is also a luxury. Or an extended or large family to all back upon in times of trouble.
I have never had that, perhaps that is why I treasure some things more, and why others have the luxury to savage each other and people they do or do not know.
Anyway, off for a while. This OP brought back a lot of memories. Such threads always make me feel very odd.
= new reply since forum marked as read
