Wikipedia defines the greatest generation as "a term coined by journalist Tom Brokaw to describe the generation who grew up in the United States during the deprivation of the Great Depression, and then went on to fight in World War II, as well as those whose productivity within the war's home front made a decisive material contribution to the war effort, for which the generation is also termed the G.I. Generation."
The "greatest generation" is simply characterized by Americans who just epitomize so much of what is good about our country: common sense, faith, perseverance. It's my parents' generation.
Every year my mother in law invites me to the Christmas luncheon for retirees from the company she worked for for so many years. A defense contractor, this company backed the war effort...and then the space effort. My MIL helped put together some of the Apollo spacecraft (we sometimes joke that she's the reason Apollo 13 had such a bad couple of days....). That's her on the right. She's so cute.
The room was filled with over 300 men and women from one of our country's strongest times, laughing and talking, clearly glad to catch up with each other once again. I just sat and listened to the conversations at my table and those adjacent. My MIL was busy catching up herself. She was so animated as she pointed out people to me and told me how long each had worked for the company.
No one consulted cell phones while talking to others at their tables. No one was distracted by tweeting or status updating. (That's not to say no one in the room has Facebooks; they just knew the proper etiquette for personal conversations). People all around the room were reminiscing; they wanted real connection with old friends, not status updates. Some were ballroom dancing as the band played instrumental classics. My MIL pointed out to me a couple on the dance floor that has been married 60 years. Precious.
As lunch was served, the company choir came out to sing. This was the best part of the day. For fully 45 minutes, these people sang Christmas carols so beautiful, they reflected months of practice. The first half were all JESUS Christmas carols, and guess what? No one was offended! No one stood up and walked out! I looked around the room and felt REAL CHRISTMAS. I saw it on the faces of people in the room whose lives were founded in a time when there was no such thing as politically correct. Even if you didn't believe in God in the 1950s, you understood that most people did, and that Christianity was the plumb line for the country. It brought back so many good memories of my own childhood Christmases. I had to take a picture of them.
Although I didn't know more than a few people at this event, it left a mark on me for the rest of the day. I felt like I had taken a step back to a better time...one which I am so afraid is almost gone from this country. My MIL kept saying, "So much less people this year. So many have died." What's going to happen when this generation is gone? Well, I guess it's up to us who have the echo of this greatest generation in our hearts, to stand up and be the next remnant of common sense, faith, perseverance. Lord, help us to keep these things alive. They matter.
"Thus says the Lord:
“Stand in the ways and see,
And ask for the old paths, where the good way is,
And walk in it;
Then you will find rest for your souls." Jeremiah 6:16, NKJV
And ask for the old paths, where the good way is,
And walk in it;
Then you will find rest for your souls." Jeremiah 6:16, NKJV
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