Children of the Depression

My parents were children of the Depression. They scrimped and saved on a one-salary income. Daily life addressed needs, and Christmas addressed wants. Soft drinks and candy were rewards, not habits.

We ate healthy food around a family dinner table. Even though we were poor by most standards, we probably ate better than most families do now, with the dependence on fast food eaten fast.

I acquired the habits of saving and frugality and never confused needs and wants. My wife and I never paid a penny of interest on our credit cards in 42 years of married life. I never felt that my family wanted for anything.

Now the degree of rampant consumerism sometimes seems almost hedonistic. I look back, and I don’t feel like I missed out on any objects or experiences. In fact, a secure retirement allows me to focus on giving rather than getting, a much more satisfying way of experiencing life.