There are only two responses to aging, defiance and resignation. The physical aspect of aging cannot be effectively denied. You will get older. Yes, you can exercise and eat right. You can go to spas and retreats. You can buy the latest fashions and attempt to fool your senses. In the end though, you will be old. Hey, it happens. What I am thinking about is not the physical process however, I'm talking about life in general. I'm thinking how change, a thing we are told to embrace, has an insidious nature. It just creeps up on you and exposes itself at inopportune moments. At times you are left embarrassed and at others just befuddled. And yes, only old folks are befuddled. It is these changes that cause that response. I find myself being defiant most of the time. Resignation is just not in my nature. The frustration associated with all of this comes from the fact I did little to nothing to prevent it. I allowed the changes to take place. Shoot, some of them I even encouraged. There really is no taking it back in life. No do-overs. My response is to remain defiant in the face of these changes. That is why I write and that is why I speak out. The older I become the more instances of these changes become obvious to me.
Now take this latest generation. I have concern for their future. They are so quick to embrace every change. Their mantra seem to be, change everything. Traditions are being discarded at an alarming rate. Traditional includes a faith based approach to life. That tradition is facing ever increasing scrutiny and ridicule. It is being dismissed altogether in many instances. My concern is what will this generation have to hold onto when the changes catch up to them, when they become old. Science will offer little comfort I'm afraid. Perhaps a few more " medicines " to keep you happy. It is the subtle changes that effect me the most however. Those little things that are more habit than anything else. Things like saying , Merry Christmas. One has to be aware today that it might be met with indignation. Complimenting a lady on her looks may get you rebuked. Truth is, almost any opinion you express these days can end up that way. We are choosing to abandon standards for fear they can be considered prejudicial. It is that acceptance that worries me the most. Without established standards in behavior, society can not function. It is more than " laws " that make a society. A successful society has traditions. Traditions are the intangibles that bind the generations together. I stand defiant in the face of discarding these traditions. I can not bring myself to resign. To resign now would be to invalidate my life. It is the lessons I was taught as a child that have carried me thus far in life. Old fashioned, traditional, outdated ? Perhaps all three are true, but they are my foundation. If all you are taught is to change, how can one become stable ? How can a society survive ?
Of course I am aware the same could have been written about every preceding generation. Our grandparents certainly thought so. But I think this time it is a bit more than fad and fashion that is being changed. I believe it is a reinterpretation of what our society is. No longer is " One nation, under God " understood to be applicable. No longer are our " rights " guaranteed by our faith but by paper. Our inalienable rights themselves are being called into question. Oh, we all still agree they exist, it is just the manner of enforcement that is changing. Litigation is taking precedence over morality. Those things decided in the past by our moral and spiritual codes are now being decided by lawyers. Tolerance has morphed into acceptance. The walls have been torn down. One must remember that walls were built and maintained for protection. I question the wisdom of the decision to destroy them. Is protecting yourself prejudicial to others ? I call it prudent action. It is not accepting and compassionate to eliminate that wall, it is naivety.
Yes, change is an insidious thing. It creeps up and takes you by surprise. Often the change was caused by your own action, or lack of it. The truth is there is little we can do individually. To rail against change is to yell into the wind, I understand that. All one can really do is resist. Resist that urge to resign and just take the easy path. From my platform I can only whisper my thoughts to a few. If only one other hears my words I feel justified in speaking them. The important part is to have the discussion. Discussion keeps your dreams alive, even if only talking to yourself.
Now take this latest generation. I have concern for their future. They are so quick to embrace every change. Their mantra seem to be, change everything. Traditions are being discarded at an alarming rate. Traditional includes a faith based approach to life. That tradition is facing ever increasing scrutiny and ridicule. It is being dismissed altogether in many instances. My concern is what will this generation have to hold onto when the changes catch up to them, when they become old. Science will offer little comfort I'm afraid. Perhaps a few more " medicines " to keep you happy. It is the subtle changes that effect me the most however. Those little things that are more habit than anything else. Things like saying , Merry Christmas. One has to be aware today that it might be met with indignation. Complimenting a lady on her looks may get you rebuked. Truth is, almost any opinion you express these days can end up that way. We are choosing to abandon standards for fear they can be considered prejudicial. It is that acceptance that worries me the most. Without established standards in behavior, society can not function. It is more than " laws " that make a society. A successful society has traditions. Traditions are the intangibles that bind the generations together. I stand defiant in the face of discarding these traditions. I can not bring myself to resign. To resign now would be to invalidate my life. It is the lessons I was taught as a child that have carried me thus far in life. Old fashioned, traditional, outdated ? Perhaps all three are true, but they are my foundation. If all you are taught is to change, how can one become stable ? How can a society survive ?
Of course I am aware the same could have been written about every preceding generation. Our grandparents certainly thought so. But I think this time it is a bit more than fad and fashion that is being changed. I believe it is a reinterpretation of what our society is. No longer is " One nation, under God " understood to be applicable. No longer are our " rights " guaranteed by our faith but by paper. Our inalienable rights themselves are being called into question. Oh, we all still agree they exist, it is just the manner of enforcement that is changing. Litigation is taking precedence over morality. Those things decided in the past by our moral and spiritual codes are now being decided by lawyers. Tolerance has morphed into acceptance. The walls have been torn down. One must remember that walls were built and maintained for protection. I question the wisdom of the decision to destroy them. Is protecting yourself prejudicial to others ? I call it prudent action. It is not accepting and compassionate to eliminate that wall, it is naivety.
Yes, change is an insidious thing. It creeps up and takes you by surprise. Often the change was caused by your own action, or lack of it. The truth is there is little we can do individually. To rail against change is to yell into the wind, I understand that. All one can really do is resist. Resist that urge to resign and just take the easy path. From my platform I can only whisper my thoughts to a few. If only one other hears my words I feel justified in speaking them. The important part is to have the discussion. Discussion keeps your dreams alive, even if only talking to yourself.
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