"The Best Generation" - The Youth of the Depression

There is much to learn from the Old who once were Young... How did they manage-- when they had nothing to their names, only that which was presumably 'impractical' and 'immature,' when all they had was being devoted to each other-- and it works, for years and decades it worked, generation after generation throughout time?

Their numbers are dwindling, but the legacy passed on by those quite accurately labeled "The Best Generation" will continue on past their earthly lives-- those who came-of-age in the Depression Era, building a solid middle-class foundation based on standards and values which following generations have attempted to discard in favor of new lifestyles which are not truly satisfactory for anyone.

To think back on the stories of those who are now elderly and those who have already passed, wondering what they had or what they did which was so unique that today's generations have not been nearly as able to grasp, often due to unwillingness more than any other reason.

The youth of the Depression era not only grew up quickly, they indeed did grow up-- learning from a young age that excuses do not cut it, and that one's feet were made to stand on. It was not rare for boys who were still in high school to be drafted and sent overseas to serve in World War II, or teenaged girls to assume care of their younger siblings, or for teens of both genders to work to assist their families. They learned that when one's country or one's family was counting on them, making excuses was not an acceptable option.

They learned such basic truths as whatever is worth having is worth working for; that anything meaningful was worth waiting for; and that whatever one has, whether material goods or the people in life, are to be appreciated; demanding instant-gratification did not cut it either. They learned values, such as morality, decency, integrity and fairness in dealing with others, and most, like the elders in my own background, learned that the traditional family unit and the roles thereof were the best possible foundation for one's life.