Simpler Times

THE MEANING OF SIMPLER TIMES

By Charles D. Williams, M.D., FACR, FAAP (“Pedro”) We spend the first half of our lives trying to git away from it and the last half trying to git back to it. Some folks move to the city so they can make enough money to move back to the country. It just seems that the grass always looks greener around the other fella’s outhouse. Often my thoughts drift back to Simper Times of childhood where I played around Mama’s knee and heard her sing “Rock of Ages.” Mama would remind us that ever’ tub had to set on it’s own bottom and each person had to answer for themselves. Mama had a fear that us kids would grow up and hang around pool halls or grow up to be a Catholic. Mama would be happy to know that Pedro did neither. The closest he ever came to a Catholic was when he married one. Mama always wanted us to do right and follow the Golden Rule. One time two brothers (RT and JT) from down the road were fightin’. Mama hollored out, “Stop that. It’s a downright dirty dog rotten shame ya’ll got to act like that.” She then asked, “Hadn’t you boys ever heard of the Golden Rule?” RT hollored back and said, “Yes, ma’am, but JT didst unto me first.” Mama always talked as Pedro sat on the floor by her side. She pointed out that even though we were broke, we weren’t poor and we had our kinfolks. They lived down the road and occasionally up the road, but not very far. They shared your joys, your hurts, and your beliefs. They helped look after you and they knew what you weren’t supposed to be doing. They knew your dog’s name and your dog’s best friend. When Pedro thinks back to his childhood, it seems that life wudn’t complicated. It was simple for him ‘cause Mama and Daddy gave him security, took care of him, and loved him. However, those times were not simple for them. They struggled to make ends meet, to provide for the kids and to meet their obligations. It also was not simple ‘cause Millard and Willard had to go off to fight in a World War. Pedro still felt secure ‘cause he knew Millard and Willard were over there protecting him and Mama and the rest of the Country. Grandma spent her time on her knees asking God to bring her babies home safely. They did come home safely in their uniforms proud as a peacock and Grandma celebrated by once again falling on her knees and giving thanks. The rest of us stood there unable to speak with tears in our eyes waiting for our hug. Upon return the Moultrie Observer interviewed Millard and told him that it was wonderful that he would go over there across the water to die for his Country. He pointed out that wudn’t quite true. He said, “I went over there to make some other fella’ die for their Country.” Our parents always wanted us to have it better than them. They did not want us to forget our upbringing and where we came from. They had been through two World Wars and a depression and survived. They just wanted life simple for us. All of this may mean that Simpler Times means looking back to the past and to our childhood when we didn’t have obligations and responsibilities, but did have unconditional love. Maybe we are building our own children’s special moments and one day they may look back and say, “Back in Simpler Times.” Reprinted with author permission from More Simpler Times.

Dr. Williams’ sequel book, More Simpler Times, can be purchased from the Capital Medical Society. All proceeds from the book are donated to the Capital Medical Society Foundation’s We Care Network program. The total sales from his books have raised over $39,000 for the CMS Foundation’s We Care Network.