[kiwi_2005]

Those born 1920-1969

First, You have survived being born to mothers who smoked and/or drank while they were pregnant.

They took aspirin, ate blue cheese dressing, tuna from a can, and didn't get tested for diabetes.

Then after that trauma, You were put to sleep on our tummies in baby cribs covered with bright colored lead-based paints.

You had no childproof lids on medicine bottles, doors or cabinets and when You rode Your bikes, You had no helmets, not to mention, the risks we took hitchhiking.

As infants & children, You would ride in cars with no car seats, booster seats, seat belts or air bags.

Riding in the back of a pick up on a warm day was always a special treat.

You drank water from the garden hose and NOT from a bottle.

You shared one soft drink with four friends, from one bottle and NO ONE actually died from this.

You ate cupcakes, white bread and real butter and drank Kool-aid made with sugar, but You weren't overweight because,

WE WERE ALWAYS OUTSIDE PLAYING!

You would leave home in the morning and play all day, as long as we were back when the streetlights came on.

No one was able to reach us all day. And You were OK.

You would spend hours building our go-carts out of scraps and then ride down the hill, only to find out we forgot the brakes After running into the bushes a few times, You learned to solve the problem.

You did not have Playstations, Nintendo's, X-boxes, no video games at all, no 150 channels on cable, no video movies or DVD's, no surround-sound or CD's, no cell phones, no personal computer! s, no Internet or chat rooms......

You HAD FRIENDS and we went outside and found them!

You fell out of trees, got cut, broke bones and teeth and there were no lawsuits from these accidents.

You ate worms and mud pies made from dirt, and the worms did not live in us forever.

You were given BB guns for our 10th birthdays, made up games with sticks and tennis balls and, although You were told it would happen, You did not poke out very many eyes.

You rode bikes or walked to a friend's house and knocked on the door or rang the bell, or just walked in and talked to them!

Little League had tryouts and not everyone made the team. Those who didn't had to learn to deal with disappointment. Imagine that!!

The idea of a parent bailing us out if You broke the law was unheard of. They actually sided with the law!

These generations have produced some of the best risk-takers, problem solvers and inventors ever!

The past 50+ years have been an explosion of innovation and new ideas.

You had freedom, failure, success and responsibility, and You learned HOW TO DEAL WITH IT ALL!

If YOU are one of them CONGRATULATIONS!