THE WISDOM OF TAO


He who knows other men is discerning; he who knows himself is intelligent. He who overcomes others is strong; he who overcomes himself is mighty.

Friday, February 19, 2010

Perspective

Before I was a teenager, I-15 wasn't around.   It was State Street all the way from Provo to my Grandma's house in Parowan. Do kids know why it is called State Street? 

We had to drive through each town on the way down, Payson, Nephi, Filmore, Beaver, even Paragonah, to get to Parowan.  Today it takes less then 3 hours, back then it was almost 5 hours. 



I remember driving through the towns and past the lush landscape between the towns.  It was just a two lane road for much of the trip, one lane going north, one going the other way.  there were local hamburger joints, and gas stations, the two were like oil and water.  You wouldn't think of getting a 48 oz refill of Coke at the Gas station for a half dozen reasons.  You passed motels where I supposed the rich people would stay on the long trip.  you drove past peoples homes, schools, grocery stores and in some towns, the theater.  Those small towns were such a different life style then what I was used to - even as a 9 year old I could see that.  We would stop for lunch in Filmore and most of the time Mom had brought something, other times Dad would get us something at the Dairy Queen. We would eat in the park right next to the Old statehouse.

5 hours.   It allowed for a lot of introspection, although I didn't call it that at 9 years old. I can still remember the feelings and images, 40 years later. I don't know if I am that much better off because of those thoughts and sights.

I was driving home from SLC this evening and there was a SUV in front of me with two DVD players in the headrests of the seats in the front row. The kids in the back were focused on the movie that I would think they had already seen.  They I was behind them as they got off I-15 and entered into Utah Valley and you could see all the Lights in the darkness that made up American Fork, Pleasant Grove and the Orem and Provo lights merged into one big configuration. Those kids might never have the opportunity to have the thoughts I had as a kid looking at all the lights and wondering about them. If we drove to Parowan in the evening we would watch the lights of each city in the distance and Dad would tell us which city it was, and we would watch it slowly get closer and closer, the lights of Parowan were always the slowest. Now kids probably don't have that kind of attention span, it could drive them nuts. They would get hives.

We took our kids to Disney Land and hooked up a TV in the Van and watched Space Jam, among other movies, and it did make time fly.  Don't they already spend enough time on TV and Movies, and now they can watch unlimited youtube videos on their phone.  When will they ever get the time to think about life and such.  Is it important?  Maybe I just want the kids of today to be tortured as badly as I was.  



If you look at that picture of Parowan main street (the 'o' is silent) you see the park on the left (west) side of the street. the Parowan Merc. is on the right where my cousins, little Dave and Kerry, corrupted me with the first Coke of my life (little bastards)  

2 comments:

McKayJoice said...

I was talking with my roommates about this the other night.

I loved when we would drive to St George and stop at Cove Fort, or the cemetery. . and i have this weird memory of sitting on these big big rocks in the middle of nowhere eating sandwiches.

But putting that TV in the van was really cool too. . we took out that middle seat too. Good times.

Sad to think our little trips to St George are no more.

Connie de said...

you talk about me saying pg...
the b word is naughtier.
Good thought though.