Without dwelling on recent national events, I think it's fair to say that many of us may feel a bit off-balance this month. As we begin to look ahead to 2025, we may feel unsettled or uneasy. Change, whether it's the change you hoped for or not, is destabilizing for all of us on some level.
As I so often am -- bear with me y'all -- I am reminded of the WWII years. Plenty of historical parallels have been drawn between the global forces at work in the 1930s and current times, and that's not what I wanted to focus on here. I've been thinking more about a perspective my novels don't focus on much -- the home front. For as all-consuming and devastating as the news itself was for Americans tuning into the radio or reading in the newspapers, most people continued on with their day-to-day lives and found there was joy and even peace to be found.
Despite rationing and restrictions on sales of certain goods, many Americans had more money in their pockets since before the Depression. And they spent it and how -- at the movies, in diners and restaurants, and in the shops. Sure, films, music, books, comics, radio programming and other pop culture content had a heavily patriotic and pro-American slant, but it boosted spirits all the same.
Maybe some of these photos of daily life in the 1940s will lift your mood, make you smile, and remind you that there's light and fun and joy to be found even when times seem particularly challenging or dispiriting.
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4 comments:
Eleri,
I agree with you. Life goes on no matter the political outcome. There is joy in everyday life. For me it is paint class, gardening, helping with the Art Guild Fund Raising commitee, reading and writing. Enjoying walks at the park and my senior exercise class.
Take care and peace to you.
Eleri, love the pictures! I'm old enough to remember parts of that life. Portland, OR hosted Navy ships during our annual Rose Festival. We still do but at this stage of my life, I'm not downtown, touring the ships and flirting with the sailors. I do think it helped in those days to not be bombarded every second of every day with dire warnings or what could happen. When we sat around the radio at night and listened to the news, it was mostly about what had happened or was planned.
Thank you for the reminder that we are strong and have gotten through much worse times in the past. Finding the joy and beauty in everyday life is an antidote to focusing on doom and gloom. Loved the pictures, too!
Thanks for the blast from the past, Eleri! You're right, there are always joyful moments even in dark times.
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