I miss the Star-Spangled Banner

The end of my day used to be national anthem time...I don't know if I'm getting old, or if I'm more sensitive than most, or more sentimental than most...or a combination of all of them- but I long for the days when there were a lot less distractions in our lives.  I miss the days when folks wrote letters, when families ate dinner together and prayed together.  And I long for the Star-Spangled Banner to end my day.

Some things are surely easier today than they were 20 years ago, 30 years ago or 40 years ago- and some are tougher.  It's tougher to raise children these days, tougher to earn a living and tougher to stay true to our beliefs in wanting to "help the neighbors" because we're not nearly as likely to even know the neighbors.  I'll keep my phone today over the rotaries of old- not missing much there except the occasional gossip overheard those days when my grandmother still had a party line.  

I'll also keep my computer today over the TRS-80, Commodore 64 or Timex-Sinclair numbers I started out on- although those would be a bit easier to throw when a bout of frustration might set in!

But you can keep your Jersey Shore and Real Housewives of anywhere- I'll keep Andy, Barney and Ernest T. Bass.

Until the Star Spangled Banner plays, that is....