Where are we coming from? Where do we want to go?
I sat at work today, talking with my friends located in various offices all over Melbourne, and other friend’s from office’s around Australia… I even spoke to friends who are located overseas – all thanks to the information age, because I live in 2004 instead of 1904.
We banter about what we are doing on the weekend, what we are getting mum for mothers day, or who is winning the footy… how trivial this all seems, and it got me thinking, what did 22 year old guys do for fun in 1904? How did they socialise? Would I be able to survive? Do I take my life of fun for granted?
The average age expectancy was 47 years old. Today it is almost 80… If I was born in 1904 I probably never would have met many aunties or uncles, definitely not my grandparents… If I was born in 1904, I wouldn’t know much at all about 1804. Knowledge is power, and knowledge was not freely available as we enjoy it today.
The kids of 1904 couldn’t even enjoy a Dr. Suess book – for this is when he was born. The infancy death rate would have been something we can only read about today.
100 years ago, 22 year old guys were married with kids. If they were lucky enough, they were working away in a factory, encouraging the development of steel and metal. If they weren’t lucky… they had probably died of some incurable disease, possibly influenza, or what we now know as the ‘common cold.’ There were no health insurance or government subsidies in 1904, we get a lot of help – do we appreciate it?
Just today I walked to a pharmacy – or a ‘drug store’ and purchased some cold & flu tablets over the counter for $10.00. It’s an everyday thing, going to the store and purchasing whatever your heart desires… did you go to the store today? What did you buy? And how much work did you have to do to afford it? Did you buy an ice-cream in a cone? The ice cream cone was invented in 1904….
The United States purchased the Panama Canal control zone for $10,000,000US in 1904. In 2004 $10,000,000US would buy me maybe 40 McLaren F1 roadsters – and coming across that kind of money is not an inconceivable idea for the ambitious. Bill Gates could have bought the whole world many times over.
We note our world environment toady as a hostile one, but the world has never known the peace of today. Russia and Japan were at war in 1904, most of Africa and some of South America was at war, and there were still more to come, no matter where you reside in 1904 – a soldier was a viable career option. I would not consider it in 2004.
As I talk to my friends over email today, do I realise how lucky I am to live in today’s day and age? You bet I certainly do. I do worry about 2104 though – what kind of life can my children expect? What kind of position will we leave them in?
To live a better life today, and assist you on your path to fulfilment, you need to take these retrospective views on what people went through before you. Be thankful for everything you have, and realise there is going to be people after you as well.
Respect is the key word here. Have respect for yourself. Respect for your surroundings, respect for people’s heritage, and respect for where you are going. Respect for what your forefathers have done, and respect for what you are doing.
BAM!!!