The Young Rascals "Groovin'"
Groovin'
When I was a kid there was a certain kind of feeling on Sundays. It was a Sabbath kind of feeling as a sort of the state of the day of the week and not because of church or anything like that. Sunday was that melancholy quiet day before school resumed on Monday. Even when it was summer it felt that way.
Perhaps it had something to do with my father not going to work. We'd usually have a midday Sunday dinner. Sometimes we'd go for a drive. But there was many a Sunday afternoon I can remember when everything seemed to just slow down. Back then many businesses were closed on Sundays. Maybe there just wasn't as much to do which actually made Sundays slower than other days.
My father always took a nap on Sunday afternoon. I thought it was weird at the time, but now it's normal for me to take a nap on Sundays. In fact I usually take a short nap every day. Now I can understand how my dad was working hard all week and needed that rest on Sunday.
Back in my school days Sunday afternoon and evening was a time for watching television and doing homework at the last minute. As the evening wore on it all seemed sadder in a way. Another weekend was gone and it would be back to school the following day.
Once I started going to college Sundays became more of a time for groovin'. That what they called relaxing and hanging out, they being the voices of pop culture. My friends and I never used grooving or groovy to describe anything unless it was poking fun at the words. But we were groovin' on Sunday afternoons, biding our time before work or school the following day.
Some of my friends and I would typically drive around most of the day on the backroads of Blount County, Tennessee or maybe up in the Great Smoky Mountain National Park. Often we'd go hiking or just sit around at some scenic vantage point as we dreamed and just talked about whatever was on our minds.
Those were some of the best times I can remember. Hanging with friends. Groovin' on a Sunday afternoon. Waiting for the future to come.
What things did you enjoy doing with friends when you were younger? Did Sundays seem quieter and more restful to you in your days of youth? What is your typical Sunday like now?
Sundays were always quiet and depressing when I was a kid. Back to school. I used to bum hard when watching TV and hear, '60 minutes will be on after the game, EXCEPT ON THE WEST COAST'. That meant it was only 4 pm there and it was 7 at my house. I loved living on the west coast as an adult and I'd hear that phrase and say, 'that's right suckas! It's still only 4 pm here!'
ReplyDeleteMy Sundays now are lonely b/c my trucker hubby leaves either at 1 AM or 9 AM. So I try to occupy my time as best I can.
I don't remember hanging out with friends on Sundays too much. Sundays were usually about church and family gatherings. Occasionally it would include friends. Although, I was from a spiritual (Christian)family, my faith was never negative or restrictive. I loved going to school so Sunday evenings were not sad. Today they are. I joke about my Sunday evenings depression.
ReplyDeleteI much prefer the Sundays of yesteryear. I liked the quiet, slower feeling that Sunday had back then. It was relaxing and got us ready to face a new week. We still try to keep it a special sabbath day by staying away from commercial establishments. For us Sunday is a day for church and family. We still have Sunday dinner as a special meal after church and just hang around groovin with our family.
ReplyDeleteSunday always seemed to be the day you struggled to find things to do early, because once the sun started going down, nobody was doing nothin'. All you could do is watch your last chance to be away from work/school fade to black.
ReplyDeleteI think maybe 90% of Sunday evening church service attendees were there because it gave you something to do- with other people- you wouldn't otherwise have. It always seemed more fun somehow.
Oh, I need to come back and listen to this song every day, especially Mondays. If only I could pretend it was Sunday seven days a week. What a joyful and relaxing song. I'm listening to it twice. I remember it well. Thanks so much for the song and your enjoyable post, and thanks for joining my blog, Arlee.
ReplyDeleteJoJo -- It's probably a good time for you to apply your talents to create all those wonderful things you make.
ReplyDeleteTeresa -- These days for me Sunday is mostly just another day.
Grammy -- I'm with you on this thinking. Sundays make nice laid-back times of relaxing.
CW -- I don't think most churches have Sunday evening activities anymore. I guess everyone has managed to find something to do.
Debi -- This was such a popular song back when I was in high school. It's a fun song.
Lee
Eh. Mostly it was about doing the homework I'd put off and maybe video games or playing in the park.
ReplyDeleteDid all fathers take naps on Sunday afternoon? Mine certainly did. The Sunday paper was usually draped across his chest...and he snored.
ReplyDelete>>... Sunday was that melancholy quiet day before school resumed on Monday. ... I can remember when everything seemed to just slow down. Back then many businesses were closed on Sundays. ... As the evening wore on it all seemed sadder in a way. Another weekend was gone and it would be back to school the following day.
ReplyDeleteEXACTLY! There was a tinge of sadness early in the day because you knew it was the end of your "fun time", and early the next morning you'd be back at school. But after NOON, say about 1:00 PM, it just became downright slow and MELANCHOLY!
However, some years later, my family began going to my Grandparents' house every Sunday. We'd get together with our cousins, play baseball in the street, then eat dinner together. And afterwards, we'd all sit around the TV and watch 'The Wonderful World Of Disney'.
That made Sunday seem a little better. And looking back on those Sundays at Grandma and Grandpa's house, which lasted for years, they are now a fond memory.
But, still, there was no hiding from the fact that Sunday was the saddest day of the week. Even Walt Disney couldn't disguise it.
~ D-FensDogg
'Loyal American Underground'
Story --There was no such thing as video games when I was a kid.
ReplyDeletePatricia-- I'll bet most hard-working fathers took naps back then. In those days the concept of Sabbath was taken more literally I'm sure.
Lee
StMc -- I never lived close to any relatives so we never had that pleasure. It's kind of sad too. In our household "The Ed Sullivan Show" was mandatory Sunday night viewing. You never knew when there might be a juggler on and my father wanted to see the jugglers. Plus all the other stuff was good. In later years I'd stick around for "The Smothers Brothers" and the summer replacements whoever they might be.
ReplyDeleteThen of course there was the dreaded homework. I was a procrastinator then as I often am now.
Lee
Our Sundays when I was a kid were made up of my mom making us go to church (very religious Italian mom), and us catching up on homework or just hanging out until The Smothers Brothers or Disney came on before bedtime.
ReplyDeleteAs an adult, I love my Sundays. I have my own faith and love my church family, so Sunday mornings are a joy for me—sort of a great way to set up the rest of the week. I almost always nap at some point in the afternoon and we try our best to only do the activities we love, not actual work.