In our modern world, we are accustomed to modern conveniences and suffer when we lose them, if even for a limited amount of time. For those of us who were affected by recent snow storms and lost power, it was a definite challenge. The fear of losing daily comfort and possible good health was real. Everyone struggled with the lack of heat, light and electronic usage for hours, days and in some cases, weeks. It challenged the way we live life today. It was frightening for many people to experience how quickly homes got frigid cold (like giant refrigerators) and upsetting to wander through familiar darkened spaces, lit only by candles and flashlights. Some sought respite at nearby homes of families, friends or hotels that had generators. Others chose or were forced to hunker down and bare it out. It was an unusual occurrence, paralleled by recent Hurricane Sandy- both causing a challenge to modern life creating significantfear, discomfort and property damage.
I kept wondering and imagining as we, too were affected- how lucky we were to only have these occasional experiences- as we are so conditioned to live life with them. For people living before electricity was invented (1800’s) and then used in homes (1930’s), living without heat, air conditioning, light and electricity was the norm. People, despite their age, physical health or condition lived and coped day-after-day and night-after-night with minimal warmth (from wood stoves or fireplaces), adequate refrigeration and excessive comfort. Families in the early 1920’s were visited by an ice man for the ice box, a milk man and some street lamps were lit each night with kerosine, all delivered by the man on horse and buggy. Before that, running water was scarce and out houses were the way in which folks took care of their private needs. Rural families were the last to get these personal conveniences at the turn of the century. Even still, like now- people lived and accepted their lives accordingly.
For everyone: infants, children, adults, pregnant women, the sick, elderly, etc…people lived the best they could with what they knew and were faced with. Life took it’s toll and the average lifespan was a fraction of what it is today. The average life expectancy for people living around the turn of the century was approximately 20-30 years younger than it is today. Earlier than that, human life spans were roughly 50-70 years shorter than that of their modern relatives. That is due to medical advances, lifestyle awareness (healthcare, hygiene, nutrition, exercise), genetics, modern technology and conveniences. Wow, those are staggering facts to take in for a moment and think about.
The bottom line is that with time, there is progress. Certainly, with new advances and inventions current and future generations benefit from the physical and intellectual perspective. The question is, with all that we have now to help us live our lives and enjoy it in more comfort, do we really appreciate it? Let me know your thoughts. Live Inspired!R Nina~ www.LiveInspiredwithNina.com