R2 Thoughts for You What Does A Baby-Boomer Have To Be Thankful For?
Feeding Thanksgiving Dinner! ;-)
Having been born in 1946, I am considered a “baby-boomer.” In fact, the baby-boomer generation began with Americans born in 1946.
My father met my mother in 1944 while he was in the Navy, fighting in World War 2, and she was a comptometer operator in San Francisco. He was discharged in 1945, they married and I was born in June of 1946, along with over 3,400,000 other Americans, thereby “starting a boom” in the population that continued through 1964.
In the Spring of 1964, I graduated from St. Dominic High School in O’Fallon, MO, and five years later, in the Spring of 1969, I graduated from Truman State University (aka Northeast Missouri State University).
Let's Give Peace A Chance! A Symbol From The Sixties!
As you can see, I was in high school and college during the “sixties“ – the time when many expressions we currently assume always had meaning, actually came into existence. So, what are some of these expressions that are used when referring to that era?
The following are all expressions that I remember from the sixties. Each expression is in hypertext, in case you would like to read more about it. Also, in parenthesis, is the time in my life when I first heard the expression.
**Sex, Drugs and Rock N Roll (in college)
**Make Love, Not War (in college)
Shirtless male drummer & dress-wearing female flutist jamming during Woodstock music festival, Bethel, NY, Aug. 1969
**Flower Power (in college)
**Hippies (in college)
**Beatlemania (in high school)
The Beatles in 1964 - The beginning of "Beatlemania."
**Woodstock (Summer after graduation from college)
**Motown (in high school)
The Jackson Five with their parents, Joseph and Katherine. They signed with Motown in November of 1968
**Turn On, Tune In, Drop Out (in college)
**Civil Rights Movement (in high school)
Peace sign flashing, anti-election protestors in Grant Park during a demonstration against the Democratic National Convention, Chicago, IL, Aug. 1968
**Yippies (in college)
Yippie led anti-election protestors outside City Hall, San Francisco, CA, Oct. 1968
**Man Walking On The Moon (Summer after graduation from college)
Astronaut Edwin Aldrin saluting American flag after being second man on moon during Apollo II mission, July 1969
Along with the expressions mentioned above, I’ve provided some pictures and/or symbols that reflected the era – the time when many baby boomers “came of age.” I hope you found the pictures interesting and enlightening.
Ok, now you can see a little of what this baby boomer encountered during the sixties. Perhaps, I should rephrase the question in the title and write, “What does the beginning baby boomers’ generation have to be thankful for?”
Should we be thankful for Beatlemania? Should we be thankful for Woodstock? Should we be thankful for the civil rights movement? Should we be thankful for a man walking on the moon? Should we be thankful for … I say, YES!
These are all important parts of our history. They helped shape our society into one that is much more diverse and rich in population, culture, art, politics, music, science, etc. We all need to be thankful for our history which helped us learn and grow into a generation that has more education, more privileges and a greater quality of life than any previous generation.
I’m thankful today for my life – truly a gift, which is why it is called the present! :-)
Happy Thanksgiving To All!
R2 Thoughts for You 