From a friend

The Last 1% — A Love Letter to a Vanishing Generation”

If you were born between 1930 and 1946, you belong to an incredibly rare and extraordinary group —

only 1% of your generation is still alive today.

You are the quiet keepers of a world that no longer exists,

a bridge between candlelight and smartphones, handwritten letters and instant messages, ration books and digital wallets.

You were born into resilience.

You came from the Great Depression — when every scrap of cloth, every tin can, every drop of milk mattered.

You watched the world rebuild itself after war, not through noise or complaints, but through sweat, dignity, and belief in tomorrow.

You remember when the milkman’s whistle meant breakfast was coming,

when discipline came with love,

and when neighbors truly knew each other’s names.

Your imagination was your greatest gift.

Without screens or gadgets, you built castles in your minds,

played with marbles and sticks,

and listened to the radio as families gathered close, hearts warmed by stories that painted pictures without color.

You witnessed the birth of modern technology —

the first black-and-white televisions, the first commercial flights,

the first men to walk on the moon.

You saw the world move from horse-drawn carts to highways,

from handwritten letters to the hum of the internet.

You were taught to fix things — not throw them away.

To mend socks, to patch roofs, to repair hearts.

You learned that work wasn’t punishment; it was pride.

And now, at 77 to 93 years old,

you carry stories that the world should never forget —

stories of patience, strength, and quiet courage.

So today, if you are one of them —

one of the few still walking this earth from the years 1930 to 1946 —

hold your head high.

You lived through the best of times and the hardest of times,

and your wisdom is the thread that still holds our world together.

You are not just history —

you are living proof that grace, gratitude, and grit never go out of style.