Long Live Nostalgia

 

The death of the Queen has prompted the awakening of all that she stood for. For some that is painful memories of imperialism, but for me it is the memory of family and good old fashioned fun. My parents are of the same era as Queen Elizabeth II, and although they spent most of their lives abroad, they never stopped identifying as British.  So, as we now look back on the Queen's life, it is like looking back at my own childhood. 

I remember the Christmases with party hats and games, then pausing to watch the Queen's speech on TV. 

I remember the summers in England and Wales. They were usually walking holidays, where we followed footpaths and took little notice of private lands. My father seemed to relish the solitude, away from the busy tourist sites, where we could explore the wildlife and feel free. We always packed a picnic lunch. There seems to be nothing more British than carrying your lunch with you and sitting in the grass to eat pate and sandwich spread.  And of course, there was the thermos of hot tea. 

I remember summer holidays in England where we ate outside everyday.  We picked our own strawberries for dessert and sat under the apple trees.  Then a game of cricket or football would get underway. These were a family affair, with every one joining in. It was simple fun. 

I remember getting up early to watch Charles and Diana's royal wedding on TV.  Then listening to Princess Anne speak at my college graduation.  The Queen's family was so much a part of our lives.  Although members of that family have threatened to muddy the waters, the Queen has remained a constant and clear example of what it means to live a full life without regrets. 

The Queen was from the same time as my grandmother, who never left the house without a coat and hat. As fashion changed, the Queen continued to dress the same.  I must say, I was swept up in the buzz that surrounded Diana, with her modern fashions and media presence. But the Queen outlasted them all. I was struck by the simple fact that no one person was at both her coronation and her memorial service. 

I find her dedication to her position inspiring. Few of us stay any length of time in one place anymore. We move on looking for a better fit, more money, or more recognition. We adapt to the changes that come with the times. We are quick to change our wardrobes as well as our families. We cannot be like the Queen who committed her life to a way of life that she believed to be dignified and humane. 

So with the death of our beloved Queen goes the end of an era. My childhood is now part of history. We are no longer a nation that reaches out across the world to bring about change, while quietly preserving our own home as a memorial for the good old days. Now the world has come to us, it lives, breathes and brings about change within our borders... inside our homes. 

The Queen did her best, but her passing is just another reminder that the world is no longer the same as that of our childhoods.