Remembering our roots

Not quite understanding the reasons why, I visited a number of YouTube sites related to the two adjoining towns in the Pittsburgh area where I was raised. It was the beginning of the Baby Boomer era and the economy of the area reflected that. It was what we typically envision of life in middle America at that time: flags along main street on holidays, summer parades featuring all the local high school bands, and Saturday mornings at the local movie theaters. What I saw in the YouTube videos was a far cry from those days. The population has shrunk to about 10% of what it was when I lived there. The main street consists of boarded up businesses and the economy is struggling. The lives of people living in these communities is very different from what I experienced. Times change. There is always a reason for the changes that occur. The videos I watched showed residents coming together to make the best of their situation. They are now very aware of their involvement, possibly far more than we were aware in the 50s. They are taking responsibility for creating their own future. When was the last time you thought about your roots and what changes have taken place over time?