However for fun lets go down the list.

My first thought of what do I wish I could bring back went to my Father and my Grandmother. I miss both of them a lot. My father was always smarter than I was and I really wish I could get his advice as time goes by. My grandmother? She taught me everything I know about who and what I should be. She gave me the cornerstone on which to build my life. In addition to that I really wish I could get her cooking advice, canning advice, garden advice, and well, just advice in general. She really knew so many things that I didn't appreciate when I was younger but now that I'm older. It would be so nice to get her back.

But then I had to think about it. My father WAS a great man with great advice. However, he was 59 when he died and I'm 56 right now. Would he really be as smart as I thought he was now that I've got a lot more years under my belt?

My grandmother? As much as I wish I could have her back for her advice would she really enjoy the world of today? I remember her once saying that she would stop eating if a loaf of bread was ever more than a dollar and now it is routinely much more than that. She hated technology in the 1990s and today she would be truly horrified about the way cellphones have wormed their way into everyone's life. She would likely be deeply unhappy in 2025.

My Father and Grandmother ran their race and really lived their lives. I believe they have moved on to somewhere better so would I really want them back? The answer came out as...that would be selfish...and probably not be useful.

Then I thought well, maybe not bring back the dead people but maybe bring back the friend circle from the past. I remember very fondly watching video's with my best friends every Saturday night and then chatting about technology, movies, and all sorts of stuff until the wee hours of the morning. Those were likely some of my most fond memories in all of life.

But could I bring them back? I hate to admit it but even if the group got back together it wouldn't be the same. We have decades of experience behind us and the wonder of youth has turned to wisdom (I hope). No more looking with enthusiasm at the possibilities of the future and what would it hold. Now we all have had families, made lives, and our viewpoints on pretty much everything have changed.

As much as I wish I could bring that back...It's another thing that has gone.

My mind wandered to things like the Dodo or maybe even stuff like the Brontosaurus. But really? If you bring them back without the environment that they lived in would it be useful at all? They would just die right on over again. Still....seeing a real Brontosaurus would almost be worth it :)

But what if you brought back natural habitats how awesome would that be? I mean bring back the Amazon rain forest? Bring back unpolluted oceans? Bring back pristine jungles to Asia and Africa? How cool would that be. But... The problem is without a human population that respects and honors those things they would be cut down and destroyed all over again.

If people REALLY wanted to reforest the world and make things green and beautiful again AND they would make the sacrifices that are entailed to keep them...it could be done. Unfortunately I don't see the will of politicians and business to do it. Or the population at large to make the sacrifices needed.

So, regretfully I take those off the list.

My mind then wandered to things that I wish I could bring back. A few things came to mind.

Okay. This is one thing that has irritated me for a very long time. A fun little vehicle that when new was really inexpensive, had a warranty, had style and was fun. Seriously I really REALLY wanted one. I mean for under $10,000 for a new car? These days I spend $30,000 and that's a base model car which isn't really special. What if they started producing it again! Well, I'm in Canada so I still couldn't buy one, so I guess I'll just have to fume about that as being one the bad things about being Canadian. I mean I can't even buy a Toyota Tamaraw that looks like a fun truck but not available in Canada. Bummer.

Seriously. You see when I was a very long 20 something I found some juice on sale at Shoppers Drug Mart. It was cheap so I bought a 12 pack. It was AWESOME! so I bought all that they had. Probably about 20 twelve packs. Yummy! What I didn't realize is that it was cheap because it was discontinued. When my 20 packs were gone and I went to buy more I was told that it was no longer being made. Of course being young I never really paid any attention to the ingredients or where it was made or any of that so I could track down a recipe to make it myself.

As a result I fondly remember about the best orange juice I ever drank and will never get again. Would I bring it back? Well, here is the thing. Being older and having tried so many more things I doubt it would live up to my memory of it. I'd probably taste and and go ....hmm.... nice..... but forgettable. Better to let it live as the king of drinks in my memory.

Okay. I don't actually want her old mixer. My mom has it and its great and I'll likely inherit it when she passes. But here is the thing. The mixer is old. Like 1940's of 1950's old and it has worked for all that time. The thing is HEAVY and built to last pretty much forever. Now let me ask you--How many products have you purchased that are likely to still be working strong in 85 years! At a guess: None. Modern items are designed to be useful and desirable but also disposable. Building something to last 85 years (or longer) just isn't profitable. There are no repeat purchases. It is expensive to build even one. Then when everyone has one there is no more market and the company goes bankrupt. Bad for business. Would I bring it back? Well, I wouldn't bring it back but it did make it easier to figure out what I WOULD bring back.

If I had to bring something back it would be the mindset of yesteryear. Okay not all of it. Go back in time and prejudice ran rampant, bullying was an issue, and the rights of those who were Gay and Lesbian and Transgender were dismal at best. Some old time values or mindsets are best left in the past!

But my trip to Japan showed me something I missed.

People there had a sense of community. A sense of pride in a job well done. A sense of following the law for the harmony of the nation and it made me think back to how things used to be.

The things I miss about Canada? There was a time when a man's word was as good as a contract. When a handshake sealed a deal as strongly as any signature. When people went to work to do their best and be a good worker. No "Silent resignation" or "Lazy Girl" jobs. Where people entered marriage with the thought of "For Life" and not thinking of a ...well, there is over a 50% chance I'll be switching a time of two. Where there was a sense of community and pride in it more than a sense of entitlement and give me what is mine. Or go back far enough and a time when people would walk great distances without thinking anything of it rather than get upset at walking a few blocks to the store.

Now I'm not going to say they were "Good old days". They weren't. There were so many things that I'm glad we have done away with. However, integrity, honesty, hard work, community, doing what's right because... it is right, repair what is broken instead of dispose and buy another. Those ideals and more and things I really wish I could bring back to the modern day.

Maybe it would make society just a little bit nicer....

...... or maybe I'm just being romantic about a time gone by.

Either way I'd love to hear comments and thoughts. If you don't want to comment? Well, thanks for making it this far, always appreciated to get a view.

Thanks.