During a recent very cold wintery day, I sat in my living room watching an old John Wayne movie, had a pot of coffee on the stove, and a fire going in the fireplace. I suddenly realized that this setting could have surely been one from decades ago as opposed to 2026.

I often reminisce about events from the past, places I’ve been, or people I have known. It is good, at least for me, to take a journey back and think about an era that seemed to be less stressful, simpler, and very memorable; the good ole days, I guess you could say.

I presume that most of us can recall our own individual good ole days. I remember stories my parents shared with me about a time I would have perceived to have been difficult at best. Both were children during the Depression years and endured meager upbringings.

Yet many of their stories were connected to happy events, or uplifting occurrences. I never fully appreciated what life must have been like for my parents until I was an adult. But they forged a life full of joy for our family, making sure we always had food on the table, a roof over our heads, and clothes on our backs. It truly was a wonderful childhood.

Sure, we may have only had three clear channels on the black and white tv we had for many years, but we watched television together. When my parents went somewhere, no matter where it was, we went as a family. If we went on a vacation, it was usually to my grandmother’s house in Kansas or a quick trip to the Smoky Mountains. By the way, I still love going to the Smokies!

As I continued with the “Duke” movie marathon on that reflective kind of day, I soon found myself thinking of how my children will remember their good ole days. I hope they are as memorable as mine.

They have been accustomed to a world that has cable or streaming tv with a million channels to choose from, satellite radio with every musical genre known to man, automobiles with Wi-Fi, and cell phones that will allow you to call Mars! Just kidding about that last one…I think!

I must admit, I too have the streaming tv, the satellite radio and Wi-Fi in my car. Don’t judge me yet. Those modern conveniences often come in handy. Ironically though, I still watch maybe three or four channels, listen to only a few of the radio selections, and can’t figure out the Wi-Fi in the car at this point.

But, as I finished watching the John Wayne movie I had seen at least a hundred times, poured the last of the coffee, and turned down the fireplace (it’s a modern gas model with remote control!) it occurred to me that maybe, just maybe, I’m still living in my good ole days. 

Now, if I can just figure out that Wi-Fi thing, as I travel down the backroads. 

Tim Thornberry
Editor, KFB News