My parents were part of a strict Protestant
sect in a rural town in the Midwest. Our town's population was about
450, including farm families. There were four churches of different
denominations, and most of them were also strict.
No movies, no dancing, eating where liquor was served, basically the choices for a date was also strict.
Not
only was it a strict place, but a white bread place. I had never seen a
person of different color, race, faith until I was in college. The
world was opened up, somewhat scary and always exciting. South Pacific was much the same, but heartbreaking in conflict of WW2, meeting indigent peoples. Respect?
West Side Story, we have seen it in many stage plays. The social, political, and people of that era says so much the 50s didn't say.
South Pacific stage play
West Side Story
What
I watched and understood as a teenager morphed as I became an adult.
Great musical, great actors and voice! Great messages, if you look for
them.
And now, as the 21st century is rolling down the tracks, we still have to look at the world around us and see the horrific things done to humans, some in the name of education and others in the way of ignorance, some to hurt on purpose and others to get even.
Being strict means paying attention to choices made and seeing how they affect me, my life, my beliefs, and ultimately my life.
How does this sound to you?
Strict is not a word I associate with any part of my upbringing. We had rules, but allowances were made. We weren't Church goers and both parents smoked and Dad liked a beer, while mum had something only when they were out, but I don't remember what she drank. After mum packed up and left with my siblings, I was free, the only rules being go to school and be home before the sun set.
ReplyDeleteMom held the line for us all, but not a mean spirited. When Dad died, there began to be wines in the fridge. She had always been a smoker on the sly but we all knew.
DeleteBeing a military brat, I experienced a lot of different places and people when I was growing up. For which I a very grateful.
ReplyDeleteHaving a worldview changed when I moved places with my husband. Our own children have gone on their own family to enjoy their people.
DeleteI wasn't brought up with that type of strict, I. e., no movies, dancing, etc., but my parents did have high expectations for behavior and consequences if we didn't comply. Thanks for sharing your thoughts here, Susan.
ReplyDeleteThose consequences are something else.
DeleteDepends. It's important to hold the line for the important stuff. But what's important?
ReplyDeleteBeing so crazy about everything drives away families.
Deletesounds a lot like my child hood.. I don't even want to think about it
ReplyDeleteIt was a rough time. When we talked about stuff, the topic always about sin, and who was going to die and go to hell.
DeleteIt sounds much like the places I lived. You forgot to mention absolutely NO makeup. Mom refused to attend a church if she couldn't wear her lipstick.
ReplyDeleteOops, no make up. That was a true condemnation. I didn't wear makeup until I was in college.
DeleteWe weren’t church goers but my parents were stricter than most other parents. I remember my older cousin married a gal and their children who were close in age with my sister and I told us, our mom was going to hell because she wore nail polish and lipstick. They were religiously strict and everything was a sin. Interesting post Susan!
ReplyDeleteLots of people were going hell in their view. My father was that judgmental. Walking through a cemetery for a memorial was seeing a list of people doomed to go to hell. Small towns know stuff, and no one got away for sins.
DeleteWe grew up in New Orleans, Louisiana, with Mardi Gras, and people of all ethnicities around, it was understood we were to behave, go to church, not consume alcohol in excess once we were old enough to consume it at all. My mother did make it clear if I became pregnant before marriage, I would not be allowed to live at home. We had a curfew and had to get good grades and go to college.
ReplyDeleteMy Sweetie grew up the son of a Southern Baptist pastor who himself had grown up Anglican. The church where his father was pastor hosted the monthly dances for the kids because as he said, "They are going to dance, wouldn't you parents rather it be here at the church where we can watch them?"
sounds like your family and mine were much the same.
DeleteLike others who have commented, my parents had defined rules. But, I am fortunate that from an early age my mother celebrated people with different backgrounds, different religions, different educational levels, and different colors. I was raised to accept.
ReplyDeleteOh, and my father? He was strict...he didn't know how to deal with children, and he definitely had his prejudices about peoples different from him. Perhaps that's why my mother bent over backwards to offset his attitudes!
DeleteYour mom was a warrior in the way she knew what was best. My dad, well, he was a product of the times. PTSD wasn't identified as a problem until 1960s.
DeleteWhat is incredibly sad is that "Carefully Taught" holds as much relevance and meaning today as it did in the late 1940s when Oscar Hammerstein wrote those lyrics. I was lucky that although I grew up in a pretty whitebread area as a kid, my parents deliberately moved our family to an area where there would be an integrated secondary school system. In junior high some, in high school (an inner city school) I had friends from all ethnic and socioeconomic backgrounds and it was the best thing that ever happened to me. It may have been their greatest gift to me.
ReplyDeleteIt was awesome that they realized how important it was to enroll you in an integrated school.
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