Several weeks ago I reached the seventh decade of life and to be perfectly honest, I had a rather hard time accepting that fact. However, my body has a tendency to keep reminding me that I actually am 70 years old. But then reality returned to me and I realized that I am such a fortunate person because I can spend my time doing something that I really love. There was a time in my life, a long time ago, when I came very close to going astray. I was a confused young person with no goals or plan for my life. Fortunately I met a couple of teachers who took me under their wing my first year of college, and they virtually turned my life around.
When I first began watching TAGS when I was 14 years old, little did I realize that 56 years later that quintessential town of Mayberry with all its lovable citizens would have such an important impact on my life. I had no idea that because of an old black and white TV show, I would meet virtually thousands of people over the years who would bring to my life so much joy and satisfaction. I was fortunate to have been a child during a time when I never even heard about drugs. I didn't know what it was like to lock the doors to our house. School was a place of safety where I spent time with my friends learning new things and having fun. I was naive enough not to know that there were dangerous people around who might hurt me. My world was about a ten square mile area and seldom did I ever venture outside my little world. The rules we lived by were well defined. We knew what we should do and what we should not do. There was little gray area and the pentameters of behavior were quite stringent at home, in school, and when we were out in public. My family did not have much money at all and we had few materialistic things. But it really didn't bother me because most of my friends were in the same situation. I pray often prayers of thanks that I grew up when I did and where I did. I think all the things I have mentioned are the reasons I love TAGS so much. I see so many things while watching TAGS that I have experienced in my life and it makes me laugh and it makes me thankful. But then I realize that the young people of today will never experience the kind of life that my friends and i had when we were young. And that makes me sad. One of the things I have learned over the years that I have been "The Mayberry Guru" is that so many people today are searching for something. They are searching for a way of life without the hate, violence, mistrust, and materialism that is so prevalent today. I hear it all the time. So many say, "I wish I could live in a time and place like Mayberry". But we know that is impossible. We cannot turn the clock back. Each and everyone one of you folks here with the Digest are so important and necessary. Each one of you helps to keep TAGS and Mayberry alive. We can never go back to the way life once was. And it was by no means perfect, but it certainly was different. So I want to say "Thank You' to everyone of you for being a part of the Mayberry World that we live in. Even though I have not met many of you personally, I consider you to be a part of my family. My Mayberry family. And for that I am very very thankful. Ken Anderson The Mayberry Guru 2906 May Street Eau Claire, Wisconsin 54701 www.themayberryguru.com www.mayberryreflections.com _______________________________________________ WBMUTBB mailing list [email protected] http://www.wbmutbb.com/
