A Different Time

Buckingham Palace, London

 

Time's an eye that remakes

the world just by looking.

-Daniel Tobin

Sometimes I wish I lived in a different time. Preferably the 19th Century or early 20th century. This modern age we live in is changing dramatically all the time, and technology, while is good in many ways, is also taking over people’s lives. Technology comes before family time. We are attached to our iPads and mobile phones. We can’t bear to be disconnected from the Internet for any extended period of time.

Do you remember when there was no GPS? You actually had to use a paper map to navigate. Do you remember when there were no mobile phones and you had to find a pay phone? And now, do you remember when you held a real book in your hands? Let me remind you what it feels like, in case you forgot. It’s a somewhat heavy, rectangular object full of paper held together with a binding. If it is one of my books, it probably has underlined sentences and notes in ink. If you flip through the pages, the scent of paper fills the space. It’s not an invisible file you download on your Smart Phone.

Another reason I wish I lived in a different time is for the manners, dress, and conduct. The way people dressed was respectable, quite unlike what I see teenagers wearing today. People had a certain sense of respect toward one another and the general conduct was that men acted gentlemanly toward women. I am talking simple things. Like opening doors and letting women pass in front. Giving up a seat for a woman. Speak in a respectful tone and not make derogatory remarks. I find that it is so rare, in this day, to find a man who does these things. When I do, I am astonished, but I shouldn’t be. What happened over the years?

I think all the frenzy around the Royal Wedding got me thinking about this again.....