It Was So Much Better …

… Back When! 

I understand nostalgia. I really do. How often do we start our conversations with, "Do you remember when …"

When my old high school friends and I get together, we talk about things we used to do back then. We have private jokes, funny memories, and I'm sure some exaggerations about how great things were. We definitely have some great memories because we were always together and usually having fun or supporting each other at some type of athletic contest. We were young and had no idea what the world held in store for us.

I can tell similar stories about college, but — strangely — I don't keep in touch with the college friends like I do with the high school crowd. Sad, because I don't stay too much in touch with the old ER friends. (ER stands for Elk  Rapids for those who don't know.) I had a great time in college and now that was 20 years ago. I can't believe that time has gone so fast but I do remember some great times in college. I think maybe I'll write about the Notre Dame to Chicago journey in November of 1993 some time. The days at Central Michigan University from 1990 to 1994 were filled with growing up and some great memories. Do you remember?

Some people get so caught up in how it was that they forget how great things really are right now. Sure, we have economic problems and everything costs $10, 10%, or 10X what it should, but we live in an incredible time. We must be in the Age of Information because there is so much information out there and so many ways to get it. I mean, let's go back to high school or college for a minute: I still CANNOT believe that I can access the amount of information that I can in MY OWN HOME with the Internet. I can't tell you how many hours I spent looking up information on microfiche back in the early 1990s. I couldn't believe that I could read old articles about bands I liked then (they're oldie bands now!) and what the reaction was to their debut album(s). Or, information about a baseball player when he first came up to the major leagues and what Sports Illustrated or The Sporting News was saying five years earlier (or ten). Now, I can access that information in my own home.

Yes, times were good then but they're great now. Nostalgia has its place, of course. But people need to appreciate today and put yesterday where it belongs.

I mean now that I have 2011 and 2012 (and can't wait for 2013) I suppose it's time to let 2006 go. Of course 2006 was great but maybe it's time to stop talking so much about '06. Lots of great things have happened since then, right!