The "company" lost that I mourn the most.

I grew up in the country so it may have been a bit different for me but I don’t think by so much.

I loved weekends because weekends; Friday nights and Saturday nights, meant that “company” would come calling.

Our house was the gathering place because we had plenty of open land where the younger children could play at a safe enough distance. They could be seen yet they were safely out of hearing range of the adult talk; and we had deep woods where the older children would scamper off to continue construction on the tree fort, share their own secrets and scavenge. So the “company” always came to our house.

When “company” came there were dinner nights, picnics; there were card nights. When “company” came, the radio or the record player was usually always on. Though we were one of the few families that had a television, I don’t ever remember it being on during the daylight hours and never when “company” was over; not until I was much older.

Later when I was older there were a few shows that “company” would come over to watch with my parents but the children and the teenagers always preferred being outside. These events were still social events and “company” was always served food, drinks and lots of conversation.

I think that many of us grew up looking forward to the weekend and company coming to call. With all the changes that technology and progress has visited on us as a society. I think that the lost of sense of neighborhood, community and the time spent with good "company" are our greatest lost.

Maybe while we go through the tough times that are ahead we will remember and reunite with each other and revive the lost ritual of the weekend “company” visits.

I grew up in the country(kinda) as well and totally agree with this. Much of my childhood was spent frolicking outdoors with family and friends, very little tv was watched. To this day I try to keep that alive. I find it much more enjoyable to invite family and friends around to sit and chat, sharing stories and memories over a good meal, or around a fire. Rather then all huddled around a box in a daze watching others pretending to live life, barely aware that others are even in the room.

We try and get outside with the kids and family and enjoy life, as well as eachothers company, as much as possible. It's one of the greatest rewards life has to offer in my opinion. Just being able to spend quality time with those you love.

Originally posted by Mitskye
I grew up in the country(kinda) as well and totally agree with this. Much of my childhood was spent frolicking outdoors with family and friends, very little tv was watched. To this day I try to keep that alive. I find it much more enjoyable to invite family and friends around to sit and chat, sharing stories and memories over a good meal, or around a fire. Rather then all huddled around a box in a daze watching others pretending to live life, barely aware that others are even in the room.

We try and get outside with the kids and family and enjoy life, as well as eachothers company, as much as possible. It's one of the greatest rewards life has to offer in my opinion. Just being able to spend quality time with those you love.

Many friendships, loves and life lessons came out of those gatherings.

I learned about trust, about sharing and most of all that being a family didn't stop at your front door.

I think we could use a little more company in our lives right now.

reply to post by NightSkyeB4Dawn


I agree wholeheartedly, some of the best times I have had of late are round at my rellies(relatives) for dinner, watching some crap like Britains Got Talent (which I'd never watch in a million years otherwise!), or just chilling in the garden, watching the sun go down.

it's a lost artform, that of the "company" visit, one thanks to you I'm going to relearn and share, thanks dude, S+F so that the message gets out!



[edit on 28-5-2009 by kiwifoot]

Originally posted by kiwifoot
reply to post by NightSkyeB4Dawn

 

I agree wholeheartedly, some of the best times I have had of late are round at my rellies(relatives) for dinner, watching some crap like Britains Got Talent (which I'd never watch in a million years otherwise!), or just chilling in the garden, watching the sun go down.

it's a lost artform, that of the "company" visit, one thanks to you I'm going to relearn and share, thanks dude, S+F so that the message gets out!

It is so easy to do.

Just remember, Keep It Simple.

Forget about making the house spotless. Nobody cares! Forget about fancy settings and getting dressed up. Nobody cares!

It is about getting together and enjoying the people you love and getting to know some others that you don't.

Tips:
Most people never drink a whole can a soda. You will find half cans all around the house and yard for days.

Get one of those little drink dispenser cooler type jugs. Dispense for the children and always give only half of what you think they will drink. You can always give more if they want more later.

Use bottled soda for the adults. They will still put their cup down and forget where they put it but you will find that you have less waste this way.

For some reason I have never had this problem with beer drinkers. They seem to hold on their cans or they just drink it faster I am not sure which.

Main thing is to have fun. Enjoy everything; especailly the mishaps because they are going to be the things that really standout in your memories long after you have forgotten everything else.





[edit on 28-5-2009 by kiwifoot]

Just because a sense of community has changed doesn't mean that community has been lost. I'm 31 years old, grew up in a small town and spent the vast majority of my time outside with my friends. I enjoy being outside and not having the television on, but the Internet and growing technologies have brought the entire world closer together.

We don't have too many visitors to our small apartment these days, but every night my community is in full-effect, whether it's here on ATS, Twitter, Facebook, or simply interacting with readers of my various blogs. I take no shame in the fact that I spend the majority of my time on the computer, I don't think it makes me less of a person simply because I have fewer "real life" friends and more virtual one's.

Time marches on, communities change, social dynamics evolve for better or worse. Maybe I'm spending less time with my family, but it's only because I have less in common with them than I do the communities I've selected to be a part of my life.

I just find it a tad irritating when people talk about how things used to be, because it seems to indicate an unwillingness to move forward and change. There isn't anything wrong with change, and ultimately, people stay the same. We all require social interaction to a certain extent, and it doesn't necessarily matter how that interaction comes. I'm not a fan of American Idol but if my co-workers want to sit on Twitter all night and talk about American Idol, how much different is that really from sitting around the table on a Friday night playing cards? I guess the only real difference is, with everyone else on their computers in their homes, I have more places to sit in my own living room. =)

Originally posted by The Cyfre
Just because a sense of community has changed doesn't mean that community has been lost. I'm 31 years old, grew up in a small town and spent the vast majority of my time outside with my friends. I enjoy being outside and not having the television on, but the Internet and growing technologies have brought the entire world closer together.

We don't have too many visitors to our small apartment these days, but every night my community is in full-effect, whether it's here on ATS, Twitter, Facebook, or simply interacting with readers of my various blogs. I take no shame in the fact that I spend the majority of my time on the computer, I don't think it makes me less of a person simply because I have fewer "real life" friends and more virtual one's.

Time marches on, communities change, social dynamics evolve for better or worse. Maybe I'm spending less time with my family, but it's only because I have less in common with them than I do the communities I've selected to be a part of my life.

I just find it a tad irritating when people talk about how things used to be, because it seems to indicate an unwillingness to move forward and change. There isn't anything wrong with change, and ultimately, people stay the same. We all require social interaction to a certain extent, and it doesn't necessarily matter how that interaction comes. I'm not a fan of American Idol but if my co-workers want to sit on Twitter all night and talk about American Idol, how much different is that really from sitting around the table on a Friday night playing cards? I guess the only real difference is, with everyone else on their computers in their homes, I have more places to sit in my own living room. =)

No one here is attacking the use of the internet as a social medium. We in fact are using the internet with this very forum as a means of connecting, socializing and communicating.

The internet indeed does serve us in many ways and one of its first uses was for the sharing of ideas, communication and it built friendships.

However, you speak of progress and it appears that one of the changes that will take place in our journey towards progress will be a significant change in the internet. Many people will find it difficult enough just to put bread and milk on the table. The cost of electricity and the internet may not be an option for them.

It will be for times and people like these that the revival of a "real" community, real neighbors and real friends, will make the difference.

We are not trying to take from you your virtual world nor do we criticize you for it. There are just some of us that find the virtual world a bit lacking for our taste and we choose to share in both worlds; while we can.