So...you're saying, I don't need shoes?

We've all heard the stories of our grandparents having to go without "luxuries" and having to make do with what they had, which wasn't much. We hear the stories of the depression era and how hard things were. Stories of having to walk miles to go to school, or sharing clothes with siblings, or sleeping 20 deep on a twin bed, were staples of a generation's lore. I never really understood the moral of the, "I didn't have shoes story." You know the familiar one old people tell about wrapping newspaper around their feet, or sharing shoes with a sibling. "Are you telling me I don't need shoes, grandpa?" I later figured out that these stories were about appreciating what we do have and understanding sacrifice. Thinking of grandpa with no shoes still didn't make me want to give up mine but I got the point.

As I sit here and order an entire wardrobe with the click of a button, not even a button, a picture of a button, I wonder what stories of the "make do" times I will have to get my point of sacrifice across to Jayden. My extent of sacrifice as a kid was getting John Madden 92 in 93 ( women ask your husbands for an explination), or wearing Bugle Boy jeans instead of Guess, Pro-wings instead of Nike, Cross Colour Jeans but not the matching shirt, eating a home cooked meal instead of McDonalds, wearing a $10 tee shirt from Hecht's instead of a $50 tee shirt from Up Against the Wall. Now, I'm not saying I was spoiled, but we grew up in a time when the economy was booming. My mom was smart enough to not live beyond her means but...when compared to grandpa, I was living it up.  I realize, my stories of "having to make do," won't  help my case of instilling the moral lessons that meant so much to my grandpa and to a whole generation, but....Jayden won't know that. So, I will continue the legacy of having worn newspaper shoes and having shared clothes with my 5 sisters (I have to add a few to up the stakes).  I will tell the story with the pain of a generation not my own with flare.