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Mamapolo2016 · F
It depended almost entirely on who you were, where you lived and your world awareness.
I grew up miles away from the little, but largest nearby town that boasted 8000 or so residents, starting in 1951, in nearly blissful ignorance, feeling safe, secure, and loved. I read a LOT, but assumed the sometimes awful tales must be flights of fancy. I didn't know anybody who smoked cigarettes (except the couple of wild boys who smoked in the trees bordering the school grounds).
I was unaware of the violence that cursed so many places. Spouses may have simmered and suffered, but I didn't know it and nobody divorced, to my knowledge. Racists persecuted others far better than themselves, but not where I lived. I didn't know.
It was lovely, for me and mine.
I sailed through school and assumed life for others was similar.
Only long after I graduated and started college did I see the cracks in the veneer. One of my close friends revealed a prominent teacher had abused her sexually, although at that time she considered it love.
I began to wonder why there were only one or two black families.
The President lied to all of us.
And more. The world erupted.
But, at the time, it was lovely.
I grew up miles away from the little, but largest nearby town that boasted 8000 or so residents, starting in 1951, in nearly blissful ignorance, feeling safe, secure, and loved. I read a LOT, but assumed the sometimes awful tales must be flights of fancy. I didn't know anybody who smoked cigarettes (except the couple of wild boys who smoked in the trees bordering the school grounds).
I was unaware of the violence that cursed so many places. Spouses may have simmered and suffered, but I didn't know it and nobody divorced, to my knowledge. Racists persecuted others far better than themselves, but not where I lived. I didn't know.
It was lovely, for me and mine.
I sailed through school and assumed life for others was similar.
Only long after I graduated and started college did I see the cracks in the veneer. One of my close friends revealed a prominent teacher had abused her sexually, although at that time she considered it love.
I began to wonder why there were only one or two black families.
The President lied to all of us.
And more. The world erupted.
But, at the time, it was lovely.
