Memories

Originally, when I was thinking about the title of this issue’s story it was going to be called Changes, but as I kept writing my idea “changed”.

While out shopping for fabrics and bedding supplies for my soon-to-be new grandchild’s bassinet, I kept getting annoyed when I could not find the items I wanted. Many stores have changed the merchandise they now carry, in favor of the big specialty stores. My other grandchildren are not that much older but I remember then just going into department stores and finding what I wanted.

Now in many cases that is not true. I was told to go to the big chain baby stores for the bedding, “sure” sounds easy enough, but as we all know those chains are not personal and you have to walk around a huge store to find what you want, then if you have any questions you look around for a sales “assistant”, then it’s on to the long checkout line. Same thing with the fabric, when I decorated the bassinet for my first grand-daughter 15 years ago; I went into the local sewing store explained to the friendly owner what I was going to do and she went out of her way to help me and to also give me some tips on the project. But now I was directed to a chain craft store. The sales personnel were mostly teens and some were male, so when I talked about a bassinet they did not know what I was talking about. I had to walk around the huge store trying to find the type of materials I needed, then I had to wait in one line to have the yardage cut, then another line to pay.

When I finally started working on my project, I kept thinking of all the things that have changed in the last decade and very fast too. Not even to mention the electronics, (you just about get a new computer or TV in the door and its already obsolete). If you want replacement parts on things that are only a few years old you are told its not manufactured anymore, or the size or color has been replaced. I just read an article that even the international clothing size chart has been discontinued. A dress sized 12 in 1971 might be a size 4 in some stores now. Change is good (so they say) but not when you are in a hurry and can’t find the item you want. Even at my local super market, I am not happy when the manager explains he has changed the aisle around to make it easier, no I think they want to generate more impulse buying. Many, many years ago my Dad decided he did not want to go out clothes shopping. He knew all the makes and sizes of the few items he needed, especially shoes. We would laugh because when his birthday or Christmas was approaching, he would give us a paper with the sales number (they did not call them sku numbers back then) and the size of his shoes from the Tom McCann shoe store. Well , the year they discontinued that shoe, it broke his heart. Whenever I am told something is discontinued I think of him and how the shoe change changed him, it makes me sad. But I guess Change is why we cherish our memories. Many of us, who live at the shore have beautiful memories of spending our childhood here with many generations of family. We think back to a simple, innocent time when we spent all day at the beach enjoying the water and sand and then nights on the boards with friends. When we got older, we enjoyed the different clubs with the bands we came to love. Parents and grandparents got together with cousins, aunts, uncles, etc. to enjoy the fresh seafood they caught (or bought?) that day or maybe they just sat outside with a cup of coffee or something stronger and enjoyed the night breezes while they reminiscenced, again I say simple times. The big stores were not at the shore yet either, suggesting change. Every summer I try to create beautiful memories for my grandchildren and children. Living together with a lot of relatives in a crowded summer house is an interesting experience, although it can be stressful at times. One morning my granddaughter came down the stairs as a few of us were having breakfast and she said,” you know Grandma, I like staying here in the summer because when I get up in the morning I come down to all the family I love”. I cherish that comment and just thinking about it, will help me not to get stressed out about unimportant things. I vow to always give my family warm and happy memories to cling to.

Here at the shore I can keep my promise, but after summer is over and we get back to reality, it is not easy to keep things simple when the young ones, which include my children as well as grandchildren tell me not to be old-fashioned and to keep up with the changes. I hope we will never make changes to the things we love.

Marilyn and her husband Bob enjoy their summers at their North Wildwood beach home with their 3 sons and 3 daughter-in-laws, 5 granddaughters and 1 grandson. She writes from her home in North Jersey.