While baby boomers may not have suffered a direct hit from the devastation of the Great Depression, they certainly experienced the ripple effects. The Depression Era shifted the values of the family. Basic survival became a driving force behind the family dynamics and was passed down to the baby boomers and future generations as well.
The 1920’s roared up until that fateful day in 1929 when the party stopped and the world came crashing down on everyone’s lives. For well over a decade, constant fear, anxiety and stress carried each and every day. People learned to be resourceful and make the most out of what little they had.
When the U.S. entered World War II in 1941, the Depression started to fade in the history books but not in the memories of those who lived through it. There would always be the worry that history would repeat itself. Families were determined to be prepared and that notion became fully ingrained into the fabric of what they taught their children.
When practically everything is lost, the tendency to hold onto everything is a natural reaction. If kept in balance, then it does not present a problem. Family heirlooms and practical household items have value and can be useful. However, when the level of things owned starts seriously getting in the way of daily living, it becomes clutter.
Keeping perspective is critical. If something is worth keeping, then honor and take care of it. After all, the treasures represent and remind future generations of the rich and worthy lives that came before and carved the path to today as well as tomorrow.
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