Go back in time...

For years I've been looking for a place to retire to, and now I realize it's not a place but a time I am looking for. If I could go back in time, it would be to the 1950s and early 1960s. The time when I grew up, when you knew your neighbors, you went to the same church and school as them. You practically lived in their homes and they in yours. Nobody locked their doors, well maybe the front door to keep the kids from tracking through your clean living room, neighbors looked out for you. If a stranger was in town, if a strange car was parked in your driveway or in front of your house they would call the cops. Porch lights were left on for light, not to scare away burglars. Kids could play outside unsupervised and even after dark. Gas was 17 cents a gallon (14 if a 'gas war' was on) and they pumped it for you, filled your radiator, checked the air in your tires and washed the windshield. Bread was a quarter and penny candy really cost a penny or even 2 pieces for a penny. The cold war was in full swing and we had bomb drills (like hiding under a wooden desk would protect you from an atomic blast) but we were innocent and didn't understand the danger. Summers were times of freedom, no school, grab a baseball glove and walk three miles to the park on the chance you could get into a game. Or spend the day in the public pool, swim till you were tired then nap in the sun to work on your tan, no fear of skin cancer. The first day of school was a time to wear your new clothes, catch up with friends who had been away at Grandma's for the summer, meet the new teacher. Not a time to wonder which gang was going to be in control, to learn what security measures were in place and what the punishment would be for bringing a weapon to school. I saw plenty of skinned knees and elbows on the playground from true accidents, I never saw a child beaten, stabbed or shot. Holidays had their own season, October was for Halloween and children dressed up and trickrtreated without fear of what some whacko might have put in their treat. November brought turkey, the only time of the year we had it. Before microwaves and TV dinners, it took a whole day of prep to make the big bird. Christmas was in December. Not November or October or September or even August. The commercialization of Christmas was just beginning, so we still had the true spirit (for my family that was religious and goodwill towards men.) Divorce was a rarity, often a scandal. Because adults took the time to get to know each other before getting married. And if they had problems after the vows, they tried to work them out, because divorce just wasn't an option. Life was good. What happened?

I would go back to the 1980's because those were my happiest moments in my teenage years. I miss these old days! I met my now husband in the 80's too.

I'd want to go back further in time... perhaps the medieval times or pioneer days. Just to see what their life was like and be able to experience it. I'd never like to "RE-LIVE" my life because I'd know what mistakes I've made and therefore not learn from them in my later years. I'm so "together" now from all my life's mistakes that I'd never want to give up that knowledge! I know I'd DEFINITELY not want to go back in the 40's because of the depression. If I had to pick a time.. I'd say probably the 50's just because it was a big time for a lot of music happenings and such. Although I wouldn't even be a gleam in my daddy's eye at that point! LOL

Actually I'm pretty happy right now, but if I could visit I'd pick the 1970's and revisit some of my favourite childhood memories, friends I haven't seen in decades etc.

I would go back to the 1980's with the camera equipment thats available now. My daughter was born in 1980 and her baby pictures are grainy. We had a cheap camera at the time and now have better equipment.

Well, this is quite the question. If I could go back, I have two places I would like to visit. In my heart of hearts, I would like to have had a relationship with two different people and see which one would have been the one I should have been with, not just for me but for us. I would go to where a wonderful friend was happy and see how he would have viewed me then, before he saw another. I would have to wonder if I would have been able to win his heart and still be here for him to be happy in his older age, with me. And I would like to be back in the time when I was very happy with another person who is no longer here. See, some of us are still alive and some of us are gone. Where should I have been at that critical moment? I guess I'll never know, and I also know that I do know. 2007 and alone, forever...Nice question howard96h, you really made me think on this one...take care...

i would pick the 70's to be born again and avoid some mistakes from my life....

I don't really have any favorite time to go back to.. but if given the chance I would choose the last 70's up to 80's since this are the times where the media become more popular and I wanted to witness how did it go.. plus this is the time where all the metal bands and rock stars of our todays legend stars of music was born and started to make there mark on the history of music scene. And another thing, I heard that this times are the safest time for the youth and children to play around outside without the worries of any danger.

I think that I would like to go back to the 1980's. My wife and I got married in 1980 and Ronald Reagan was president. This was perhaps the best time in my life, as I was just married to my sweet wife and we were still young and did not have many problems at the time.

if given the chance, id probably choose to go back to the 90's because i didn't enjoyed much as a child. There are alot of things i haven't experienced. But nevertheless I'am happy on who I turned out to be in the present. I definitely have no regrets.

I would go back in 1990's I want to see my old friends from high school and to see those happy moments during my teen life.

well I was born in 82 and my dad passed not long after. I would want to go to the 80 to see him and get to know him!!!

This is a good question. If I had to pick a period in time it would definitley go back to the 70's. I was in elementary school in the 70's, my parents were so young and we lived in my favorite house of my childhood in Modesto, California. My childhood was wonderful and I have so many memories of carefree days,swimming and roller skating and great times with family and friends who have passed away since then. For me, it would definitley be the 70's.

Hi howard, hope all is well. If I could go back in time I would definitely want to go back to the 80's. Hoping that I could possibly prevent one of the biggest and most tramatic events that ever happened to my family.

Have you noticed that people and society was much nicer in the early 90s but as technology improves people get worse. Society was far easier in that you could leave your doors open, people looked after each other, communities were where you could be comfortable and safe in. I would love to go back to the swinging sixties where flower power and hippy love was in exuberance and life was peace! Listening to the Beatles and The Kinks and taking life as it comes, before Iraq and Vietnam kicked off. The only thing I would miss would be the internet. Thanks for a great post, it's good to reminisce although sometimes I live in the past too much!

I would pick the 1970's. I guess because i was born in 1975 and i cant really remember what is was like.I love watching the show good times and i want to see more of the fashion styles.

WOW Howard that is a tough one. I always say I would not reliv emy youth for all the tea in china, but I think I would pick the 60's those were my high school days and maybe given that 2nd opportunity I would have somehow gotten the education bug and studied harder, gone on to college, and not waited til the 80's to do it with a family. It's one of those if I knew then what I know now and was that age things..... But I believe that we don't have bad lives, we have bad moments in our lives.... we learn, we move on. If everything happens for a reason then this is where I need to be. Thanks for that thought provoking question.

well I definitely don't think I would pick the 1930s as the world was still in the worse Depression years ever...1940s --Nope --World War II..Now I was born in the 1950s--1955 to be exact...but I would have liked to have experienced what the 1950s was like...rock 'n' roll was born then, you still had drive-in movies, the restaurant places that could serve you in your car with waitresses roller skating your order to you...I think of that movie American Graffiti, and the series Happy Days --it just seemed a more innocent time to be in...

I would like to back to the time of Martin Luther King. I would've liked to march. In the time of segregation, I would've liked to offer a black woman my front seat.

Well I was born in "1959", but If I may I Would rather go back to the 1800's. I feel a connection to this time era. I'm very big into back in the "day". I love to explore many things. The people who have shaped who we are today. All the people who made our lives possible. The hard work that it took... The railroads, iron works, all the back breaking work that has lead up to where we are today. Women & men worked so hard. All the great minds that started us on the track we are now on, least we forget them. I think you have started a wonderful discussion. But if I really wanted to go back to a more simpler time before I was born.. The early 40's I would say. That's when We women started to become one of our own.