What have others ever done for me?
Me - Mom and Dad and everyone who contributed to making my parents and me. As Bill Bryson points out in "A Short History of Nearly Everything", every one of the long list of my ancestors managed to survive at least long enough to reproduce. We could add that in each case, that also meant enough care and good luck to survive to sexual maturity.
Law enforcement and fire department - Reading "Pillars of the Earth" by Ken Follett, I was struck by the difference between government in England about the year 1000 and what I experience. (Over 2200 people rated the book, $7.99 for Kindle, and gave it a total of nearly 5 stars.) Especially, I was struck by my ability to call the police or the fire department if I am in danger.
Money - You don't have to go very far back in time to realize that modern money and pricing makes getting some coin and converting it into desired goods much easier than when I had to walk to the market with my pumpkins and hope someone would be willing to trade something I need or want for one.
Speech - go back further in time and compare living with no or only a little language developed to living with an education, good communication systems and literacy on both ends of a friendship.
Central heating - Not so long ago, a furnace that kept the whole house warm was a concept that had not occurred to people. I am thankful for the system of today.
Electricity in the home - There are books on the "electrification of the cities", the mammoth work that had to be done in thinking, inventing, planning and creating the system that delivers electrical power to our houses, enabling all sorts of activities and pleasures that were simply impossible when my grandfather was a boy.
Clothes, types of fabric - lightweight, warm, water-resistant, comfortable, nicely colored and not super expensive. Here in the north, definitely something to be grateful for.
Shoes - properly fitting, comfortable, well-made
Glasses - us seniors can't read without them. Computers, tv require good lenses.
Anti-biotics - I am still gripped by Thomas Hager's The Demon Under the Microscope where I learned that me, my family, my friends and my descendants might not be around today without anti-biotics which became available just a couple of years before I was born.
Wine, beer and spirits - Alcoholic drinks have been part of human cultures for several millenia but there was a time before them and before coffee and tea. Our lives are much richer with these beverages in them.
The US and its structure - Some economists say that most Americans have no idea of how valuable our own government is compared to what many people in the world experience all the time. Usually, we don't have to bribe a clerk or an official to get a license or an accurate and fair tax bill. That is not the case everywhere.
Music - I can't say how much my life has benefitted from classical music, written by people long gone before my grandparents were born. I couldn't listen to "Eine Kleine Nachtmusik " while doing dishes without Wolfgang, the orchestra, the recording company and their equipment, the electronics that enable me to play the music.
Books - A major source of my knowledge, education and pleasure written by men and women of all the ages. Probably most of those I have read are alive right now and many are younger than me. What pleasure! What beautiful insights! What great wording!
Movies - Movies and tv helped me find the pleasure of my life, which communicating with and understanding people in all situations, times and places.
There are this many items and more that I haven't listed.
--
Bill
Main blog: Fear, Fun and Filoz
Main web site: Kirbyvariety
Me - Mom and Dad and everyone who contributed to making my parents and me. As Bill Bryson points out in "A Short History of Nearly Everything", every one of the long list of my ancestors managed to survive at least long enough to reproduce. We could add that in each case, that also meant enough care and good luck to survive to sexual maturity.
Law enforcement and fire department - Reading "Pillars of the Earth" by Ken Follett, I was struck by the difference between government in England about the year 1000 and what I experience. (Over 2200 people rated the book, $7.99 for Kindle, and gave it a total of nearly 5 stars.) Especially, I was struck by my ability to call the police or the fire department if I am in danger.
Money - You don't have to go very far back in time to realize that modern money and pricing makes getting some coin and converting it into desired goods much easier than when I had to walk to the market with my pumpkins and hope someone would be willing to trade something I need or want for one.
Speech - go back further in time and compare living with no or only a little language developed to living with an education, good communication systems and literacy on both ends of a friendship.
Central heating - Not so long ago, a furnace that kept the whole house warm was a concept that had not occurred to people. I am thankful for the system of today.
Electricity in the home - There are books on the "electrification of the cities", the mammoth work that had to be done in thinking, inventing, planning and creating the system that delivers electrical power to our houses, enabling all sorts of activities and pleasures that were simply impossible when my grandfather was a boy.
Clothes, types of fabric - lightweight, warm, water-resistant, comfortable, nicely colored and not super expensive. Here in the north, definitely something to be grateful for.
Shoes - properly fitting, comfortable, well-made
Glasses - us seniors can't read without them. Computers, tv require good lenses.
Anti-biotics - I am still gripped by Thomas Hager's The Demon Under the Microscope where I learned that me, my family, my friends and my descendants might not be around today without anti-biotics which became available just a couple of years before I was born.
Wine, beer and spirits - Alcoholic drinks have been part of human cultures for several millenia but there was a time before them and before coffee and tea. Our lives are much richer with these beverages in them.
The US and its structure - Some economists say that most Americans have no idea of how valuable our own government is compared to what many people in the world experience all the time. Usually, we don't have to bribe a clerk or an official to get a license or an accurate and fair tax bill. That is not the case everywhere.
Music - I can't say how much my life has benefitted from classical music, written by people long gone before my grandparents were born. I couldn't listen to "Eine Kleine Nachtmusik " while doing dishes without Wolfgang, the orchestra, the recording company and their equipment, the electronics that enable me to play the music.
Books - A major source of my knowledge, education and pleasure written by men and women of all the ages. Probably most of those I have read are alive right now and many are younger than me. What pleasure! What beautiful insights! What great wording!
Movies - Movies and tv helped me find the pleasure of my life, which communicating with and understanding people in all situations, times and places.
There are this many items and more that I haven't listed.
--
Bill
Main blog: Fear, Fun and Filoz
Main web site: Kirbyvariety
