Looking back over the years, so much has changed hasn’t it? Most of the changes have been to our advantage, improvements for a better life. Still, as seniors we fondly remember the good old days, that time when we could depend on certain things to remain the same.
One of the things that I appreciate about being a senior is having family and personal traditions. Although we may have moved from place to place during our lifetime, and not always kept the same furniture, we tend to bring along our customs and beliefs. This is a good thing, generally speaking. However, it does show our age.
For example, when dealing with grandchildren we’re told that we are “old fashioned”, or “behind the times”. “Oh grandma, don’t be a dinosaur” is another one.
Guess I’m falling into the old fuddy duddy category than, because I find some changes in the customs and traditions of today so annoying. Case in point: the cell phone. While I believe it is a great invention, I question using it in public places. In the past, we would never dream of having a personal conversation in front of strangers. Yet today, nothing is private it seems. I’ve overheard everything from the details of a divorce, to the results of a home pregnancy test, from people on cell phones. It’s embarrassing, but I’m trying to adjust.
The other thing I have difficulty with, is how employees are allowed to dress when on the job. Traditionally, no one on my family went to work in the morning unless they were wearing a suit, uniform, or other appropriate outfit for their job. In today’s world, things are different, now we have “casual Friday”. Supposedly this is to allow certain workers to ditch the dress code and come to work in clothes normally reserved for washing the car or cleaning fish. I don’t get it, why would a person want to look their worst as a bank teller or medical technician?
I must be getting old, living in the past perhaps. Whoever thought that we would pay for drinking water in a bottle? Or buy a cardboard box? These are the signs of modern times.
Still, with all of the changes and adjustments we’ve had to make, I can’t complain. I’m very glad to be living in this age of technology where communication is instantaneous, transportation and education are available to everyone, and we can medically treat almost all physical ailments.
“To not change is to not grow” they tell us. Therefore I’m planning to change my attitude regarding the new way of doing some things and let go of the past. I think I can even handle it now when I go in for my check up and the doctor is wearing a Hawaiian shirt and flip-flops.
Customs, habits, and ethnic background may identify us when it comes to food, speech patterns and dress. Nevertheless, it is probably those memories and traditions from the past that we carry with us in our back pack, into the senior class.
Nevada resident Carolyn Schneider is author of the book, “Bing: On the Road to Elko”, about her uncle, Bing Crosby, and his 15 years as a Nevada cattle rancher. She may be reached at artist71635@msn.com