Yet Another Life Lesson Learned.

In 1953 my father held our hands crossing the street.

I was six-years old, and my two brothers were seven

And five respectively. He taught us to watch out for

Cars as we made our way from one side to another.

Also, he pointed out the difference between a Chevrolet

And a Ford, how we could identify a Plymouth from a

Dodge. At the time, way back then, my brothers and I

Learned to recite the make, model and style of every

American car on the road. We didn’t bother with foreign

Made automobiles of the time. There were very few of

Those running the streets of America back then. My two

Brothers and I felt a true sense of empowerment with

Our new-found knowledge in the automotive world. And

Today, with the myriad makes and models, with the pro-

Liferation of imports cramming the highways and byways

Of our nation (given that most every type of car looks much

The same), the knowledge we gained from our father back

Then in a simpler time no longer applies. No one in the

1950s saw it coming, including our father whom we looked

Up to as the smartest man in the world. Had he a clue as to

The transformations which were to take place in the coming

Decades, he may have focused more on the realities of change.

He did, however, teach us about the Big Dipper and the North

Star, how to spot Orion, Venus and Mars. At least for now, as

We see the nighttime sky, we can rely on the appearance of

Some sort of cosmic consistency. That is, I have since come

To understand, until the light from those distant heavenly

Bodies eventually reaches us differently. Even out there in

The depths of space, change is not only natural, but constant

And inevitable. In the heavens as well as on Earth, time and

Change are linked inexorably. But persistently for me at

least, and to this day, one thing remains—I hold firmly onto

My affinity for those classic 1950's Chevrolets.

Chris Hanch 5-14-17