Our world today has lost every touch of elegance and respect that once existed in the old world. In Mary Hoffman's "City of Stars," a teenage girl finds herself in a sixteenth century Italy existing in a parallel world to her own; the twenty-first century London. She realized "in spite of the noise and bustle, her world...suddenly seemed thin - a meaningless jumble of events and busyness without purpose and focus," compared to "the formal design and many rules" of the sixteenth century Italy.
I love the century we live in because of our neat fashions and advanced technology (especially in medicine). I would never think of giving up such advancement. However, in my ideal world, I would make the "formal design and many rules" from the old world to be a part of our world. It would be a time of elegant, grand Balls where dancing is an art; not some mess of heads, arms, and legs looking like people are having seizures. Balls were the social life of the young people in the old world. How neat is that? Life for young people, rich or poor, would be less confusing with much more meaning and focus as they are given a chance through apprenticeships to learn a trade...not through a university costing thousands of dollars.
It would be a time when courtship isn't so confusing. A date is simply a walk through the gardens, an evening at a ball or supper with the parents, days of sitting on the porch or near the water fountain talking and enjoying nature. Today, it seems as if money and activities must be a part of courtship to show how fun you are to be around, thereby excluding those without money to spare and those who may not enjoy such activities. In old times, all that mattered for guys was that they had a respectable trade, personality, and loved and respected the girl and her family with all his heart.
In my ideal world, people wouldn't think about walking by others with their heads down and shoulders slumped. Everybody would stand tall and greet others with a bow, at formal events, or a tip of a hat or nod of the head, if passing by.
I couldn't agree more with Mary Hoffman's character, Georgia, when she thought, "in spite of the noise and bustle, her world...suddenly seemed thin - a meaningless jumble of events and busyness without purpose and focus."
Thomas Stanley Jr
