Lets Not Do the Time Warp

I often wonder why some people, as they age, seem to reach a certain point where they come to a standstill, especially when it comes to things like music appreciation, fashion and technology. They just seem to stop moving forward.

I know some seniors who have quite a modern outlook on life and embrace new music, new trends and new ideas, yet there are always those who are almost resentful of change and progress. They have no time for anything contemporary and will complain that nothing is as good as it was 'back in their day.'

I wonder just when that point is in their lives that they decide it’s all too hard or moving too fast to keep up with; whether they attain a certain ‘comfort zone’ where everything is familiar and safe and where they choose to remain. It's like they've become stuck in a time warp.

I manage a community facility where we offer computing classes for seniors, and it’s wonderful to see men and women in their seventies and even eighties getting excited about surfing the net. They arrive for classes carrying their laptops or tablets and can’t wait to learn how to use them. Yet there are those in my own age group (fifty-something) that are already throwing their hands in the air and lamenting about ‘kids these days’ and ‘new-fangled gadgets.’

The same often applies to our homes, our clothes and even hairstyles. I like my home's decor to be bright, fresh, modern and simple, and it doesn't have to cost the earth to do, yet I know others of my age whose style hasn't changed a bit in twenty years.

My late mother sported the same hairstyle for about forty years, always wore the same style of dress and had the same cushions on the couch for as long as I can remember. I also remember that in her late sixties, she stopped listening to the radio because she didn't like the ‘modern stuff.’ I think that’s pretty sad.

It’s so important as we grow and age to keep learning new things and absorbing new ideas and experiences. It exercises our brain and keeps us vibrant and engaged with our families, communities and the world at large.

I am always hungry to learn and to seek new ideas, ways and points of view. I hope that I will never grow complacent or comfortable in a self-inflicted time warp.

This is something we all should consider. Are we opening ourselves up to new things? Are we keeping step with the changing times. Even if we don’t necessarily like it or agree with it, there is no stopping progress – we might as well hop on and take the ride.

#_life
#_mindset
#_acceptance
#_change
#_perspective
#_learn

%selfavenue