The Value of Things Past America is a young country and we look at everything, including our history, from the perspective of the immediate past. Our buildings, books, culture and wisdom are filled with rejections of that which is old. We reject people for their advanced age, locking the wisdom of a lifetime in "old folks' homes." We reject values and traits that seem old-fashioned, like being self-sufficient or spending time talking to a vendor at a marketplace. Common sense seems no longer common. Old items are treated as useless, despite the fact that many continue to ably perform still-necessary functions. We forget that a garden is grown primarily not to save money but because food tastes better when it comes from your yard. Keep your mind open to yesterday and you will find value in its messages and craftwork.

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Lilac's Book. A book for my daughter.    By Bill Orton. Lilac's Book has been on     continuously since January 3, 1997. Anyone may have a FREE copy of the entire text of Lilac's Book by going to the Download page. Back in 1994, I wrote this book, largely in random order, as a gift for my infant daughter.   When I finished the first version of the book, I made photocopies and handed them out to anyone who was interested.   In 1996, I converted the text of the book into web format and thanks to the gracious and steadfast support from this mighty site, the book has been on Hippyland continuously since January 3, 1997.   As far as I can tell from webstats over the past few years, about 3000 people a year are visiting the page to download the full text of the book.   If just a portion of these visitors are downloading the text, then this free book is now in the hands of thousands of people.   This makes me feel that the gift is not just for Lilac, but for thousands of others, most especially for the teenagers and young adults who so often write to me trying to figure out their place in our world. BEING FREE  |  Table of Contents  |  Readers Comments  |  Download Lilac's Book  |  Return to HIPPYLAND  |  Photo Album Who IS a Hippy  |  The Price of Freedom  |  Following Your Own Heart  |  It Wasn't All Beauty & Lightness  |  Contact Me The original print edition of Lilac's Book © 1994; web editions © 1997, 1998, 1999, 2000, 2001.