***********IF YOU WERE A CHILD IN 1970s - 1980s*************
When we were kids nobody fastened sit-belts in the cars. A ride in a waggon on warm summer day was indescribable pleasure.
Our beds had bright pictures and the paints contained much lead. Medicine phials didn't have secret caps, doors were often unlocked, and dressers were never locked. We drank tap water at the street corners, not from plastic bottles like now. Nobody could even think of cycling in helmet. For many hours we were making carts and scooters by hands out of boards and bearings found on rubbish heaps; and when we were riding down the hill it turned out that we forgot to attach brakes. After driving into thorny bushes we fixed the problem.
We left homes early in morning, played the whole day long and came back home when street lamps lit. During a day nobody knew where we were. There were no cell phones. It's hard to imagine now. We hurt our hands and legs, but nobody ever brought an action against anybody.
We ate cakes and ice-creams, drank lemonade, but nobody was fat because we ran and played all the time. Several people drank from one bottle, but nobody ever died from it. We didn't have play stations, PCs, 165 satellite TV channels, CDs, cell phones, internet. We rushed to the nearest house to watch a cartoon film because there weren't video recorders either.
But we had friends. We just left homes and found them. We cycled, drove matches along spring streams, sat on benches, on fences or in the school yards and chatted about anything we wanted. When we needed to see anyone we just knocked on the door, rang the bell or just came in and met him. Remember? Without asking anyone's permission. Alone in this cruel and dangerous world. Without body-guards. How did we manage to survive?
We invented games with sticks and cans, we stolen apples from the gardens and ate cherries with stones and they didn't sprout in our stomachs.
Each of us joined soccer, hockey or volleyball group at least once in his life, but not all of us were accepted by team. Those who weren't managed to cope with disappointment.
Tests and exams didn't have 10 levels, there were 5 marks in theory, but only 3 in practice. During school breaks we poured water over each other from old syringes.
Our deeds were only ours, and we were ready for consequences. This generation engendered numerous people who are able to risk, fix problems and create something that didn't exist before. We had freedom of choice, right for risk and failure, responsibility. And we managed to use all this. If you belong to this generation, accept my congratulations. We are lucky to have grown up before the Government took away young people's freedom in exchange for skate-boards, cell phones, "Star Factory" and LAYS chips. By mutual agreement and for their own good.
In fact there are much more than seven miracles in the world. Isn't it a miracle: the first Soviet after shave gel? Do you remember it? And what about such miracle as MOSKVICH-412 car tuning? Do you remember 5-copeck coins around the windshield, fur steering wheel and transmission handle with a little rose on it.
What about pants elastic? It can hold pants as well as tights and mittens.
What about fried pasty with jam filling? You will never guess which side the jam would be squeezed from.
Another inexplicable miracle: is there a single person among us who had a normal teacher at labor training, not an alien?
And what about this wonderful mum's ruse: "I'm buying it for you now, but it will be my present for your birthday".
And what about this grandma's magic phrase: "Return empty jars latter".
And do you remember ZIL fridge? It's a one hand bandit! You pull the handle and the cans fall down. Ah, by the way, what is there on the fridge door? No, that's not eggs. Nor ketchup either. There are... the medicines on it.
Free medicine is a miracle too. There is one doctor and two lines. People in one line are with coupons and in the other are received by previous appointment. And there was a third line: "I'll only ask a question".
How many other miracles of the world there were! A little window from toilet to the kitchen. Can you explain me what to look at there? Teeth powder that cleans teeth as well as silver spoons. Pissing boy on the toilet door. "Rubin" color TV-set which we repaired by a punch. Swimming trunks with a little anchor on them. Milk in triangle packs.
So, who’s said there are only seven miracles in the world?

Original Russian text is here

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