Ever wonder what people did before TV and radio, or even the internet? What was their form of entertainment in the evenings? How did they get any news? Well, in my grandmother's day they would sit out on the front porch and talk with anyone walking by.
According to the book Bible Almanac, in biblical days there was a routine. After dinner the men of the town would gather together in a large circle in an outdoor meeting area, possibly with a fire going to light up the place when the sun set. The older and more respected men would be at the center, with the younger boys to the outer edge.
They would begin by sharing all the day's occurrences. You know, like the birth of a baby, or someone being sick, or a lion coming near the town, or things heard to be going on elsewhere; the list goes on. Then there would be a time of silence, which would be brought to a close by one of the older men reciting a poem of heroic deeds, say something about King David or Moses. Then a song would be sung.
To finish the night out on a happy note someone would quote one portion of a proverb. Others chiming in with witty examples of that statement would bring laughter to all who were gathered.
What a way to know each other. What a way to support one another through the tough times. What a way to get the word out. Now that was community.
I remember Sunday afternoons, with all the family gathering at Grandma's house, sitting on the front porch. The children packed onto the swing and lulled themselves to sleep as the adults rocked rhythmically in their chairs and solved the world's problems.
ReplyDeleteI miss that time.