Oh, how I long for the old days

That's a line from Sunday in the Park with George that has stayed with me for years.  That I still distinctly remember the line is somewhat surprising to me, as I detest the e-mails I get from old friends rhapsodizing about the days of our youth.  Don't misunderstand me.  There were some good days in the 20th century as there are some good days in the 21st.  But it was not nirvana, although America was in much better shape then. 

One of the good days was Sunday.  When I was growing up, the Blue Laws were still in effect, which meant that Sunday was a different day of the week because very few businesses were open.  There was less hustle and bustle.  It was quieter.  It was clearly not a day of work for most of us, except for the family that had the local grocery store or diner.  One could spend time with your family, or explore the world.  It will probably sound strange to you, but I enjoyed visiting the local cemeteries on Sunday.  They were quiet and clearly you thought of more than the immediate day.  It was truly a time of reflection.

This is a roundabout way to inveigh against the move to take the holiday out of Thanksgiving.  True, there are people who are willing to stand in line for hours, to stint on their sleep, to desert the Thanksgiving feast for the sake of a seeming bargain.  And there are companies who believe that they can make more money by opening their stores earlier and earlier on Thanksgiving Day.  They care not a fig for their employees or their fellow citizens.  The only guide they have is the almighty dollar.  But I have to wonder just how profitable these stores are on that day.  My surmise is that when they look at the entire Christmas selling season accentuating their greed does not, in fact, result in greater net profit.