Good Ole Days

I am an 83-year-old man who proudly served my country for the latter part of World War II and also the Korean War. I believe that the generation before mine was every bit as good as mine, maybe even better. There are not too many of my generation left and almost none from the generation before us.
I am not sure that I thoroughly understand the meaning of "the greatest generation" but I do know they are referring to my generation and for this I am grateful. I also know that there were some good times and some bad times, but I wouldn't trade any of them for the world.
I know that many of my generation's off-spring learned their lessons well. For the most part, they have grown up in the pattern we set for them. They are good, honest, God fearing, hardworking people who will give you the best of what they have. I know that I am very proud of my children.
But what does it mean; "the good ole days?" How many people in the past have muttered the words "Lord, what happened to the good ole days?" I'll bet there were a few. I guess that each generation would have their own good ole days.
I often think about all the many people I have met in those years and what they have meant to me in my lifetime: people I had played with, worked with, and yes, even fought with. I have not forgotten them nor will I ever.
But you know, there is one thing that I think has been grossly overlooked with this "greatest generation" thing. Just where do you think this greatest generation learned it from? Just think about it for a moment. We learned it from the generation before us. They had three crises in their lifetime to our one; they had World War I followed with the Great Depression. On top of all that, they then had to send their boys off to yet another war and some of them never returned.
Charles (Budd) Steinke
Sebring