[willy]

> > TO ALL THE KIDS WHO WERE BORN IN THE
> >
> > 1930's 40's, 50's, 60's !!
> >
> >
> > First, we survived being born to mothers who
> smoked and/or drank while
> they
> >
> > carried us.
> >
> >
> > They took aspirin, ate blue cheese dressing, tuna
> from a can, and didn't
> > get tested for diabetes.
> >
> >
> > Then after that trauma, our baby cribs were
> covered with bright colored
> > lead-based paints.
> >
> >
> > We had no child proof lids on medicine bottles,
> doors or cabinets and when
> > we
> > rode our bikes, we had no helmets, not to mention,
> the risks we took
> > hitchhiking.
> >
> >
> > As children, we would ride in cars with no seat
> belts or air bags.
> >
> >
> > Riding in the back of a pick up on a warm day was
> always a special treat.
> >
> > We drank water from the garden hose and NOT from a
> bottle.
> >
> >
> > We shared one soft drink with four friends, from
> one bottle and NO ONE
> > actually died from this.
> >
> >
> > We ate cupcakes, white bread and real butter and
> drank soda pop with sugar
> > in it, but
> > we weren't overweight because
> >
> >
> > WE WERE ALWAYS OUTSIDE PLAYING!
> >
> >
> > We would leave home in the morning and play all
> day, as long as we were
> > back
> > when the streetlights came on.
> >
> >
> > No one was able to reach us all day. And we were
> O.K.
> >
> >
> > We would spend hours building our go-carts out of
> scraps and then ride
> down
> > the hill, only to find out we forgot the brakes.
> After running into the
> > bushes a few times, we learned to solve the
> problem.
> >
> >
> > We did not have Playstations, Nintendo's, X-boxes,
> no video games at all,
> > no
> > 99 channels on cable, no video tape movies, no
> surround sound, no cell
> > phones, no personal computers, no Internet or
> Internet chat
> > rooms..........WE HAD FRIENDS and we went outside
> and found them!
> >
> >
> > We fell out of trees, got cut, broke bones and
> teeth and there were no
> > lawsuits from these accidents.
> >
> >
> > We ate worms and mud pies made from dirt, and the
> worms did not live in us
> > forever.
> >
> > We were given BB guns for our 10th birthdays,
> > made up games with sticks and tennis balls and
> although we were told it
> > would happen, we did not put out very many eyes.
> >
> > We rode bikes or walked to a friend's house and
> knocked on the door or
> rang
> > the bell, or just yelled for them!
> >
> >
> > Little League had tryouts and not everyone made
> the team. Those who didn't
> > had to learn to deal with disappointment. Imagine
> that!!
> >
> >
> > The idea of a parent bailing us out if we broke
> the law was unheard of.
> > They
> > actually sided with the law!
> >
> >
> > This generation has produced some of the best
> risk-takers, problem solvers
> > and inventors ever!
> >
> >
> > The past 50 years have been an explosion of
> innovation and new ideas.
> >
> >
> > We had freedom, failure, success and
> responsibility, and we learned
> >
> >
> > HOW TO DEAL WITH IT ALL!
> >
> > And YOU are one of them! CONGRATULATIONS!
> >
> >
> >
> > You might want to share this with others who have
> had the luck to grow up
> > as the lawyers and the government regulated our
> lives for our own good.
> >
> >
> > and while you are at it, forward it to your kids
> so they will know how
> > brave their parents were.
> >
> >
> > Kind of makes you want to run through the house
> with scissors, doesn't
> it?!