Have you ever wondered what your part of the world is going to look like in one hundred years? Come to think of it even ten years makes a lot of difference.
I myself can only personally relate back to the 50's, although I do remember some of the stories that my parents and other older relatives tell.
I can get a small inkling of what the Native Americans must have felt as they watched the flood of new people coming into their world.
Since I was a young child growing up in north central Wyoming in the 50's and 60's, knowing what the country was like then compared to now, it does make me wonder what the future years will bring.
Actually the country (land) itself has not changed that much, the same hills are there, same streams, even a lot of the same trees.
What is changing is the culture of the inhabits of the area.
A lot of the old timers I grew up listening to are gone, along with their values, stories and advice.
Now I am becoming one of those old timers, trying to keep alive some of the things that I was told and taught.
Those of us who were born and raised here are being crowded out, over-run by the influx of new comers from all points of the compass.
They come here to enjoy and try and live the kind of life, those of us who are now considered natives have lived.
The trouble is they bring all of their culture baggage with them, their ideals, goals, likes and dislikes.
Most have come from areas where they may not have spoken to their neighbor in years; don't know the meaning, of a hand shake, or that a persons spoken word is to be honored.
There are some left that, if they said they would do something, it gets done, come hell or high water.
As a man's or woman's honor and trustfulness was and should be based on doing what they said they would do.
Used to be that if someone needed help, with what ever they were doing, you went and helped no questions, no invite needed and never a thought of being paid for what you did.
You knew that if you were in need, and the tables were turned, your neighbors would be there for you.
Now all of this is not gone, there are still a lot of people left that come to their neighbor's aid at the drop of a hat.
But I do see the don't get involved; don't have time, and who cares crowd moving in.
The land that used to be open with permission, for hunting, fishing or just enjoying the out of doors, is being bought up by individuals whose gates are locked and could care less what their neighbors and the locals do, think, or say.
They keep the land they have bought for themselves and those they knew where they came from.
They often complain about the lack of shopping, entertainment opportunities, phone service, T.
V.
reception and the culture into which they have moved.
So they bring their baggage they left behind with them and wonder why the natives don't appreciate what they have introduced.
As you can tell, I don't necessarily like what is happening to the country of my upbringing.
There is nothing I or you can do to stop these changes; we can only keep teaching our own, the values we were raised with.
Honesty, integrity, a good work ethic, compassion, faithfulness, loyalty and more are the foundation for a stable and sustainable society.
We will be required to adapt and adjust to the future, as that is the nature of all things.
Let's only hope we can keep alive, all of the things that worked and made us what we are today.
STAY ALERT, STAY FOCUSED, AND KEEP SMILING
I myself can only personally relate back to the 50's, although I do remember some of the stories that my parents and other older relatives tell.
I can get a small inkling of what the Native Americans must have felt as they watched the flood of new people coming into their world.
Since I was a young child growing up in north central Wyoming in the 50's and 60's, knowing what the country was like then compared to now, it does make me wonder what the future years will bring.
Actually the country (land) itself has not changed that much, the same hills are there, same streams, even a lot of the same trees.
What is changing is the culture of the inhabits of the area.
A lot of the old timers I grew up listening to are gone, along with their values, stories and advice.
Now I am becoming one of those old timers, trying to keep alive some of the things that I was told and taught.
Those of us who were born and raised here are being crowded out, over-run by the influx of new comers from all points of the compass.
They come here to enjoy and try and live the kind of life, those of us who are now considered natives have lived.
The trouble is they bring all of their culture baggage with them, their ideals, goals, likes and dislikes.
Most have come from areas where they may not have spoken to their neighbor in years; don't know the meaning, of a hand shake, or that a persons spoken word is to be honored.
There are some left that, if they said they would do something, it gets done, come hell or high water.
As a man's or woman's honor and trustfulness was and should be based on doing what they said they would do.
Used to be that if someone needed help, with what ever they were doing, you went and helped no questions, no invite needed and never a thought of being paid for what you did.
You knew that if you were in need, and the tables were turned, your neighbors would be there for you.
Now all of this is not gone, there are still a lot of people left that come to their neighbor's aid at the drop of a hat.
But I do see the don't get involved; don't have time, and who cares crowd moving in.
The land that used to be open with permission, for hunting, fishing or just enjoying the out of doors, is being bought up by individuals whose gates are locked and could care less what their neighbors and the locals do, think, or say.
They keep the land they have bought for themselves and those they knew where they came from.
They often complain about the lack of shopping, entertainment opportunities, phone service, T.
V.
reception and the culture into which they have moved.
So they bring their baggage they left behind with them and wonder why the natives don't appreciate what they have introduced.
As you can tell, I don't necessarily like what is happening to the country of my upbringing.
There is nothing I or you can do to stop these changes; we can only keep teaching our own, the values we were raised with.
Honesty, integrity, a good work ethic, compassion, faithfulness, loyalty and more are the foundation for a stable and sustainable society.
We will be required to adapt and adjust to the future, as that is the nature of all things.
Let's only hope we can keep alive, all of the things that worked and made us what we are today.
STAY ALERT, STAY FOCUSED, AND KEEP SMILING