I am feeling a little nostalgic this evening. The picture above is from my favorite Tootsie Roll commercial. As I was driving home from my 6 year old’s Curriculum Night at school, an old Frankie Beverly and Maze song came on. The song took me back to 8 tracks, needles on the records, and component sets. A time when the remote was called a clicker, you actually plugged your home phone into a socket in the wall and Morgan Freeman was on Electric Company. A time of block club parties, bookmobiles, swimmobiles and the Bobolo Boat.
I actually got a little teary eyed thinking about how awesome my childhood was. At the same time, I realized that we live in a day and time where many of our own children will not get the pleasure of experiencing this feeling. That realization also made my eyes leak. Playing double dutch, freeze tag, Mother May I?, hide go seek and riding our Huffy or Schwinn bikes until the streetlights came on, were the most important activities in our lives. This song about sums up how I feel right about now (Back in the Day).
So what does the 10 year old Nita from the 313 say to the 39 year old Vanita living in the 734?
- Do some appropriate kid stuff at least once a month. Your inner child will thank you.
- Go to Youtube and watch School House Rocks, Great Space Coasters or Kids Incorporated with your children.
- Go listen to some good soul music from the 70’s and 80’s. My songs of choice are What A Fool Believes by the Doobie Brothers and I Keep Forgettin’ by Michael McDonald. My 19-year-old and 6-year-old love both of these songs.
- Connect with people you grew up with and go back down memory lane. Your heart, soul and spirit will feel better.
- Go back in your mind and remember the dreams you had as a child and try to live them out. You just may find your passion and purpose in this.
- Have a good old school party. Play music, BBQ, play cards, dominoes, let the kids stay up late, talk loud and have FUN!
Lastly, if your old neighborhood no longer looks or feels like it used to. If the laughter of children playing has been replaced by their silence, then it’s time to give back. It Starts at Home is a grassroots organization that is committed to giving back to my old Larchmont (48204) neighborhood. Life Remodeled is a non-profit organization that exists to remodel lives – one neighborhood at a time and they have worked in my old Minock (48228) neighborhood.
Find an organization or create one that will help nurture, sustain and empower the current children who want the opportunity to dream, thrive and play….just like you used to.
Not So Random Thoughts Before Bed 