I thought I'd have a go at Carmi's Thematic Photography which this week is "Distance".
This photograph of my Dad in his Home Guard uniform was taken in 1942. He was 40, and in a reserved occupation, so along with those too young to join up and those too old, he guarded vulnerable points in the neighbourhood, and generally prepared for invasion by Germany.
I was 8 at the time, and obviously using his much-prized Roleiflex camera (I know that because the negative is square - my Box Brownie took rectangular negs!) This now seems a lifetime away. So very distant, and so very different to life today. Sixty-seven years ago, and at war, the country was in a state of flux, food was rationed, air raids constant (we had already been bombed out).
With hindsight, we can see how things might have been managed differently. Hindsight is always a wonderful thing! But that was what it was like then. Now it is a very distant, and very different, past. There is surely more distance between my life today and my Dad's then, than between those of him and his father?
The generations seem to put more and more distance between them as the years pass. I'm not sure this is such a good thing. We all seem to be in little boxes - the old; the Baby Boomers; the young-marrieds; the teenagers (aka the hoodies in some places); children. All kept very separate.
I don't think this is good.
12 comments:
If it makes you feel any better there is not much distance between the generations in this house! I think we have most of the categories mentioned cohabiting at one point or another. x
Hello Gilly, Its cottonreel, I just got round to reading your blog . first for a long time . It,s lovely.Your garden looks very nice ,and I like your bits about the flea markets . I,m pleased your eye op,. went well ,I,m waiting for the same --bye for now
Nice reflection I do feel that the gap between me and my children is smaller than the gap between me and my parent Your dad has a proud look
It's amazing isn't it. The world is so different now. Everything seems so speeded up and temporary. My Dad's life in the early 1900's was not that much different from his family's life 100 years before. It takes my breath away. Distance is now in the stars and around the world is just a matter of hours.
I used to live 2 streets away from my Grandparents and spent every waking moment with them - I thought they were far more interesting than my own parents. Sadly my own parents and my hubby's parents have not wanted to be close Grandparents to my kids - even though we live near and I feel sad that my kids have missed out on this. I hope that I will want to be a proper "little fat Gwamma" if my two have their own kids.
How proud you must have been to see your father in that uniform and I imagine it gave you a feeling of security. Althought, we were not touched by bombs, we did bomb drills. My father was the block warden. I thought him terribly important. He, too was to old to enlist, but his brother who was only 18 months younger, made it just under the age line. So my father was one of the youngest in the first World War and his brother was one of the oldest enlistee's in the Second World War.
What a wonderful picture to bring back memories. The world is changing so much faster now than it did years ago. Each generation is different in many ways from the preceding ones, but I think the basics remain the same regardless of age.
I agre with you, Gilly. We work hard to meld them all into one big happy family!
Great photo! I agree with SVBs comment - the pace of change is SO much faster now. Between 1945-1965I think patterns of life didnt change too much, then suddenly everything took off, and technology took over. I look back just 14 years to moving here - and I had only just got the internet [slow, no broadband] I had no mobile phone, or car of my own, no DVD or DAB radio, Princess Di was still being chased by paparazzi, 9/11 hadn't happened, but air travel was just becoming cheap and easy...
And then I see the picture of your Dad and think of my parents wartime experience. What would they have made of all these things?
So grateful that my security is in an Unchanging All Powerful God!!
bblessings xx
Very interesting post. I know what you mean about the different generations, even though most of us try to keep everyone connected.
Makes you wonder what family life will be like in the next generation.
xx
Beautiful story - Beautiful photograph
You are right. The world has changed and not necessarily for the better. The older generation are bewildered by some of the modern technology.
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