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These Pictures, This Life
- Oct 9, 2007 at 12:44 PM
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- Comments (80) Total Views (2079) Everyone can see this journal post.
I am truly old fashioned. Always have been. My values have always been simple and sensible, and I often feel like I was born in the wrong era. I really can't hang with the values and lifestyles of most people today. I can't wrap my mind around what motivates people do say and do some of the things that they do. I tend to look at things with a totally different eye than most, and I'm starting to notice that finding people who can appreciate and share my viewpoints on things is becoming increasingly difficult in a world where one-nighters and recreational sex are common practice... and not frowned upon so much as they once were.
Last night, Jilly sent me a link to a site with a bunch of old classic pictures on it (thank you for that, Jilly!), and as soon as I began scanning them, I was instantly moved, and my mood turned to a thoughtful, reflective one. Amazing how a picture has the ability to do this- especially when you don't even know the people in them. These are pictures of a completely different world than what we live in now. Seeing the people in them made me wish I could go back to that place and time, and seeing how happy they were made me wonder...
Whatever happened to love like this?
The kind that is innocent, and exclusive, and valued for the gift that it is. Do men still sweep women off their feet this way?
Do couples still lay in the grass together, and do nothing but stare at the sky, or at each other? Do they still carve their initials into trees? Exchange love letters?
Do men still consider women their "better halves," or the missing pieces that make them whole? Do they truly regret missed opportunities, or the loss of "the one that got away"? Do they still say "I do" and know what it is they're saying "I do" to?
Is there still romance out there of this kind? The kind where a kiss sends a shockwave all through them, and draws them gently together, until they can't possible get any closer, and for a moment, things couldn't be more perfect?
Do men still recognize a great thing when they've got it? Do they know how lucky they are, and do they value the women who love them, and would do anything for them? Are they still grateful to God for such blessings?
Do women love and respect their men anymore? Do they truly love that man on their arm, who adores them, or is he nothing more than a meal ticket and a means of security? Do they know how lucky they are to have a man whose every thought is dominated by her, and who hangs on her every word? Who can't wait to get home to her at the end of every day, because without her, he just doesn't feel complete? Do they?
Whatever happened to carefree days like these? Whatever happened to the playful, loving instances like these that couples used to share? Has the stressful grind of today's lifestyle rendered moments like this obsolete? Does this type of innocence and purity exist anymore?
Do men still scoop their true loves up into a full embrace, and give them their undivided attention and adoration? Do people still connect this way?
Do marriages last anymore? When people slip those rings on each others fingers, do they understand the vows they are reciting, or are they merely repeating the words? Do they take them seriously, and mean them? Do they truly love each other, or has marriage simply become a novelty, or a trend? Does anyone take this God-given bond seriously anymore?
It seems that the further into the future we travel, the more we cast out the values and principles of the days of sepia and black and white. The value of precious pair bonds has been minimized and reduced to just an event in the natural order of life. No one takes the time to make sure they relate to their significant other on all levels, and that the foundation of the relationship is stable enough to build on. The patience to nurture bonds and wait for them to mature is waning; instant gratification has taken over in a world where everything moves at lightening speed, and people want what they want, and they want it now- and they're willing to lower their standards to get it. Relationships... the beautiful, wonderful, most precious gift from God, have become disposable.
I wish that I could climb inside these pictures and get a glimpse of what it was like to live and love this way. I know that it's not possible of course, but I also realize that I have the ability to recreate my own little piece of sepia heaven in this multi-colored world by hanging on to my old fashioned beliefs and standards. Despite the chuckles and shaking heads over my love of the outdated nature of the simple things, I will still carve hearts into trees, write love letters, and kiss pictures.... and when I find myself in the grass next to my favorite one, I will cherish that moment, and thank God for the fact that at least once in my lifetime, I was able to experience it.
Comments:
What beautiful pictures. I love the one of the woman writing a letter with a picture of her soldier by her side.
I loved this post! I want to thank you!
One thing I wish is that I could take the time to have my family capture the love and joy I have with my husband in a photo.... but, we are so busy taking photo's of the kids!
This post reminded me that I should turn the camera over to my children more often!
I will ad that my husband did start to carve our intials in a tree in our back yard!! We take walks together often!
I remind my husband that my love is unconditional, even when we lose track of ourselves in the rush of work and parenting.... He needs to hear it as much as I do.
Thanks again for a beautiful post.... You are beautiful!!!
Our culture has evolved into men and women fighting for equality and loosing the pure essence of what their "role" is. I'm rather traditional in my thinking and I refuse to agree with the notion that men and women are "equal". If we would just let our MEN be MEN they would be able to grab us by the arm and swing us to and fro like these photographs depict. But, TO ME women have burden men with their feelings and all too often they forget about their partner that is so easily pleased by remembering to do these three tasks:
1. Have sex often
2. Refill their cup with beer or what have you
3. Have dinner ready!
i want to thank you for making me smile and bringing a happy tear to my eye.
sometimes i forget to stop and appreciate what i have, because i am so busy trying to keep our lives together, but the fact of the matter is, i wouldnt trade my man, or our love, for anything, and i NEED to stop comparing it to what it "should" be and accept what is IS!
thanks again, you always get me good!
i absolutely loved reading your post and gazing into the pictures...i have goosebumps. girl, i am TOTALLY with you on this. *sigh* i agree, life today goes by at warp speed. it is just too easy to say the three words, and just take them back when one is upset at the other. "i love you" has lost it's luster in so many ways.
thank you so much for sharing!
Beautiful and thought provoking. I know I am lucky beyond the moon that I have probably one of the last great men out there. I still get the "foot pop" and butterflies in my stomach. He puts up with 10 mile hikes for me... because at mile 5 there's an amazing picnic spot that I love. And I know he enjoys it, too.
I watched an old couple going into the grocery store yesterday. My first thought as he opened her door and helped her from the car was, "They probably bought that Caddy new." Then they walked toward the entrance holding hands and laughing with each other about something and I thought, "Beautiful."
I can't help but compare the people in these pictures to the ones who posted those ads in the journal you wrote yesterday...................yeah, things have changed.
Precisely. This was my way of providing a contrast to yesterday's post. Totally different!
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- thelovehater
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