Tuesday, July 6, 2010

ABC Wednesday Challenge Y

It's ABC Wednesday again, and this week, the letter is


In his play Back to Methuselah, George Bernard Shaw writes: "You see things; and you say, 'Why?' But I dream things that never were; and I say, "Why not?"

And who can forget the famous:
M... I... C... See you real soon.
K... E... Y... Why? Because we like you!
M... O... U... S... EEEEE!

And on a more recent note, there is a popular beer commercial that wonders, "Why ask why?"

Why indeed?

The "Why?" stage is one of my least favorite stages with kids.

Pick up your toys.
Why?
Because I asked you to
Why?
Because I don't want to trip on them
Why?
Because I don't like to trip
Why?
Because I could fall
Why?
Because stepping on toys makes people fall.
Why?
Because toys are not supposed to be walked on.
Why?
Because they aren't shoes.
Why?
Aaaargh!

Is it any wonder our parents always resorted to the infamous: "Because I said so, that's why!"

But of course, Y and Why are not really the same thing at all, so it would be cheating to spend much more time on Why.

So, my Y word for the day, is Yesterday.

Yesterday,
All my troubles seemed so far away,
Now it looks as though they're here to stay,
Oh, I believe in yesterday.


I know Paul McCartney had something completely different in mind, when he penned those lyrics than I do when I hear them.

He was thinking about a lost girlfriend, while, when I hear the song, I think about a lost era.

Yesterday.

The age of innocence.

When we could play kick the can, or hide and seek, or tag outside until the streetlight came on.

When I could walk to the post office or the library by myself.

When we respected the President, no matter who it was.

When any mom on the street could stop any kid on the street and yell at them for what they did, ask them for help taking out their trash cans, or offer them a homemade cookie, without fear of repercussion.

Now don't get me wrong. I am happy with where I am today. And I wouldn't go back to yesterday, for all the money in the world.

But sometimes, I look at Yesterday, and Today, and Tomorrow, and I wonder why?

Please take some time to check out what others were INSPIRED to blog about this week, at

ABC Wednesday,

and feel free to add your own blog to the list as we work our way through the alphabet.

Be sure and join me each Tuesday for Tuesday Trivia Tie-in, where readers are invited to share trivia and show off their treasures.
Read all about it here

10 comments:

  1. Very thoughtful Y post.
    I remember those days & wonder why too!

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  2. Thanks for the M-I-C-K-E-Y memory! I used to know all the mouseketeers by name way back when. Such a great "Y" post. Lots of good stuff!

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  3. Y because we like you!! Oh the memories and Yesterday was wonderful and at times I wish our lives were simpler! Still I love Today and all I have including this wonderful computer and blogland and friends like You(another Y word).

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  4. Progress isn't always in the direction we would prefer but it's no good Yearning for Yesterday. Remember the past, enjoy the present and look forward to the future :-)

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  5. I remember Mickey Mouse, and McCartney's Yesterday (originally titled Scrambled eggs).

    But it's the Shaw quote that jumped out. That was used at the end of the eulogy of Robert Kennedy in 1968 by his surviving brother Edward.

    ROG, ABC Wednesday teammate

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  6. Y indeed. I'm glad you gave credit where credit is due to Shaw. So many folks think a Kennedy coined that phrase.

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  7. A thoughtful post for the Y day, Troy! I guess we all ask "why" a lot and look back, but I wouldn't want to go back either! Hope the rest of your week goes well!

    Sylvia

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  8. ohmigosh, do I remember those "why" days - those endless endless whys.
    Loved your "yesterday" too - a lot of things from yesterday I wish the kids of today could enjoy. But I wouldn't give up the things we have in tomorrow's yesterday.

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  9. Troy, this was lovely. Thank you.Dx

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