When I was nine years old, my adventurous father gathered up his wife and four of his children and traveled west to Yellowstone National Park. My sister, with an ear attuned to the future kept a diary, not only of our activities, but finances. There have been small changes since the early fifties! Dinner for a family of six, $5.00. Just savor that for a moment - $5.00 today buys a specialty cup of coffee at Starbucks for one person! I know it happened 50 plus years ago, but what a leapfrog to the present!
Yet, proportionately it cost a lot of money in those days as well. But just think of that investment in experience. I still remember vividly scenes of the national wonders, the ever-changing landscapes, the lakes, mountains, forests and farmlands. And yes, of course there was the inevitable boredom of long prairie stretches, the irritation of too close, hot bodies in an un-air-conditioned car and in long un-peopled stretches being relegated to getting our J's for the Alphabet Game from Henry J cars that passed! But we sang childhood songs, played word games, snacked, fought for the TripTik, drank water from a large thermos, read comic books(how did I not get carsick in those days) squabbled and dreamed away the miles. The sheer fun of discovery and comradery that largely reigned within that wood-paneled station wagon as we conquered state after state will never be forgotten.
How can you put a price on memories?
No comments:
Post a Comment