When it was easy to get the truth, when reporting was the who, what, when, where, why and how.

Just the cold hard, black and white facts. And if you read it in newsprint, heard it from Walter, then that’s the way it is. At the movies, good guys were easy to spot. Wearing white lids. The not so honorably, the guys with the beading eyes, shifty forehead reached for black hats after brushing their teeth. Heading out into the day mornings.

Life was pretty much on an 8-5 Monday thru Friday, slower moving roller coaster.

Shorter stint at work wearing the apron Saturday. And no no, Sunday is taboo to labor, chase the dollar. Everything closed. Picnics, big dinners, visiting your Uncles and Aunts on a weekly rotations schedule of where. Because family came first.

That Sunday afternoon nap to catch up for the busy week that starts tomorrow. Getting to church was a given. Maybe waxing the old Buick Roadmaster with the port holes in the hood or Hudson Terraplane. Whatever was saved up for slowly. Bought carefully that sits in the yard or undercover in the carriage house.

Sitting on Maine home open front porches nights. You watched the world go by, it was simple living.

Your neighbors too out for a little air.

To stretch their legs. Walk the dog. That happened by and stopped to talk. Shoot the breeze. Share the “did you hear about Effie? Well poor thing, it’s the strangest thing really. You know how she lined up with that good for nothing blah blah blah …”

The choices in life were chocolate and vanilla. Homemade grape nut before that because it was what was available, in the household pantry cabinet. You made the most with what you had. You were content with less. You took what you needed and left the rest for someone else.

Happy endings in all the movies don’t happen now. Shock value and chainsaws pushed wholesome and good right off the stage you cornball. Heck you can pick the alternate finish you feel in the mood for by dialing it in on movies. Have it your way. Lots of options, a slew of entertainment avenues to use the freed up time with automation for recreation. A distraction from reality as we used to know it. All about having fun now no matter what the cost or neglect.

It replaced the keeping it real of work, worship, raise a family. Save for a rainy day and the best things in life were free. Because that is all you, your neighbor could afford. Write letters to GI Joe halfway around the world. Pick your favorite mission field to support.

Back to that believing is seeing and turnabout from the other way around.

You could bank on what was reported, politicians had not taken the illustrious job of public servant to power corrupts. Self servant and mastering spin became an art form. Apathy set in and self medication marched in all the doors. Over eating, over drinking. Searching for over the counter solutions to inside missing natural life ingredients. The depletion of what’s good for you home made replaced with store bought, temporary, expensive. Hoarding to amass the most material items seeking the status, fame, fortune. To be remembered.

The shift from “it’s all about others” in your family, community, state and nation replaced, eroded with “what about me?” Shock and awe when Elvis introduced that twitch, hip gyrating dance with the guitar and mic stand. Johnny Cash wearing black and flirting with the crowbar hotel fans that loved his sound, look, timing in life.

The midway extravaganza excitement, razzle dazzle that used to happen only when the vaudeville carny show rolled into town. Set up the rides, exhibits, games. The canvas tents where the snake oil salesman, bearded lady, other circus oddities performed. Hoochie coochie pushed the limits on what was socially, morally typically served up in a small God fearing community. Pass the flask of that dragon breathing high octane firewater would ya please Sport? What a show.

Searching for answers, the truth that sets you free became harder when eight out of ten of us lives in a city, urban population center.

Harder to determine, to see which shell the pea is under in the hocus pocus shuffle. Too busy to notice or really care part of it. Being bone weary, dog tired contributes too. What is important in life and what you can take as real honest to goodness. Is it a case of believing is seeing in the opinions you form on others, how you observe life in general?

Whoever does the best job of spinning, manipulating reality? And do you still do your own thinking, reasoning or is it a throw money at it. Angie’s list, ask a consultant, therapist, total stranger riding the rail to work or waiting for an appointment what should you do? Maine, if you are lost, we’ll cure that. It starts with clean living stripping away all those layers of what you don’t need, hide under. Common sense, self reliance, work ethic still work, apply just fine here in Maine.

I’m Maine REALTOR Andrew Mooers, ME Broker
207.532.6573
info@mooersrealty.com