Childhood-Times are a Changing

            I remember being 11 years old.  We lived in Greenville, Mississippi.  The apartment complex we lived in was surrounded on 3 sides by swamps.  On one side the swamp came within 25 -30 feet of the building that was on that end of the community.  The swamps on the other 2 sides were a few hundred yards away.  As an 11 year old boy I was in hog-heaven.  Snakes (poisonous and non-poisonous), turtles, giant salamanders, raccoons, opossums,  beavers, frogs and toads.  I loved it.  I would take my machete (because no one with any sense walked through the swamp without a machete to protect themselves) and go on treks through the swamp.  Using a home-made raft and a bamboo pole I could get out to the cypress knee islands. 

            My neighbor found a baby raccoon and raised it.  It was very interesting when he would walk around the community in the evening it would eat toads that were under the street lights.  CRUNCH  CRUNCH  CRUNCH!!!  Just ate them whole.  To an 11 year old boy it was the greatest thing.

            It was a different time.  Being out, away from home all day and my parents having no idea where I was.  That was normal.  I can’t imagine having no idea where my kids are all day.  In fact I spend a lot of  money to give me the ability to find out where they are anytime I want.  Not sure if I love cell phones or hate them.  I don’t think there is a higher incidence of pedophiles, but we hear about every child abduction.  Down the street, in the next town, across the country and half-way around the world.  The only good that comes from it is to increase the sales of cell phones.  Childhood has changed and I don’t think it’s all for the better.