In about 1977, The O Jays did a song about 'The year 2000', lyrics - "what will this whole world be like in the year 2000?" The year 2000 has come and gone, still the memories of the past are what we have mixed feelings about. Some call it the 'good old days', some say 'long time days' - the older folks and the present generation, respectively.

Let's examine the past and compare it with the present.

Were the good old day's really good days? Or is the present a promise unfulfilled? Is this what we yearned to visualise as young men/women? Many persons can attest to walking miles from district to district in absolute darkness. Rural electrification was poor, the roads were lonely and in some places the only excitement were village squares. Still, the most outstanding monster crime was non-existent in some communities and was never ever experienced. Were these people naive?

Transportation is better

In present day society, the streets are well lit. Transport is everywhere and people don't walk anymore and people are fatter due to less exercise. Still, with the advancement in medical science, people, on the average, are more aware of their shortcomings due to the information age.

Youngsters only access the libraries for romancing each other in modern days; libraries are at everybody's home now, thanks to the Internet. Everyone is in 'bling bling' and 'wray wray' and crime infiltrates the place. In former years, youngsters had to go to church to praise God, now churches are for weddings, funerals and the dedication of babies.

The world is uglier now

People don't care about the aesthetics (planting of flowers, etc.) anymore. People are more materially oriented. A young girl will proudly tell you I am not a virgin, and I want money and she will tell you what she will use to make money without any remorse. The girls of the past were more sheltered and had more dignity and pride. Today's children have nothing called civic pride; they will spit right at their feet in a building or in church. The past youngsters were more resourceful, that is, they could cook, clean and still do their studies.

I recalled in my era one of our brightest son's was Stephen Vasciannie. He epitomised what all of us as high school students aspired for. Truly, he was plainly amazing in Schools' Challenge and brilliant in other aspects of academia. How many students in those days passed eight and nine subjects in GCE O'Levels or CXC? Just a minuscule number of present day children are actually passing. It's not that children were not that smart, no! Access to information is much easier in the modern age.

community parenting gone

A child was protected by everyone in the community and they were not so widely abused and killed. Ladies were respected by everybody and would not be denied a seat like Rosa Parks of the unfortunate 1955 incident. Have we lost that loving feeling in our society? Is the legacy lost?

We need a more widespread use of guidance counsellors in our schools, communities and churches to bring our country back to us. Those who don't want it like that must be separated from us. We have to restore order with no political tone. We need to restore order not as PNP or JLP but as Jamaicans. There are many unsung heroes who are still trying to perceive with what other claim they no longer can bear.

This long time gal mi neva see yoh, com meck mi hol yoh hand, this long time gal mi neva see yoh, come meck wi walk an talk - Miss Lou.

I am, etc.,

Paris Taylor

Greater Portmore

St. Catherine

bighot43@yahoo.com