As you get older, childhood friends predecease many of us who tend to be genetically programmed to linger longer. It is painful enough not to have people around with whom you can share the past and which can only be somewhat alleviated by all the Internet friends who send "Do You Remember These" pictures and songs .It isn't as much fun as having someone with whom you can share what you did yourself as a kid.. Grandchildren don't want to hear that it was exciting to make tunnels in two stories of hay, or that it snowed deep enough and stayed cold enough that our snow tunnels lasted most of the winter.
One generation younger is not too bad. A senior's memory usually goes that far and can relate to what was endured with their offspring from Sesame St though adolescence and now these offspring are in middle age, married with children hassling them, and talk of retiring soon while my senior friends and I are just now considering that move.
Two generations gets into the grandchildrens' lives.. The number of things with which one can identify has now exponentially gone down. At this age, they are too interested in themselves to even think about seniors who are more frequently viewed as the beneficent bankers. A problem is that the seniors can relate to them but they have no way of relating to the senior. They've never been there and can't imagine that they ever will be.
We are aliens who lived in an ancient past without DVDs, DVRs, iPhones, texting, iPads, Kindles and iGotchas. I grew up learning the words of Webster not the Urban Dictionary.(though the Urban is much more fun.) But I now live in a world of Facebook and share with 'friends' of all ages. We mostly share today and not the yesterdays. Relevance is relative there. If seniors can stop telling younger people what to do and let them live their own lives, the world would be a happier place. At least family holidays would be more fun. Seniors must pioneer their own lives as most outlive their parents and have no guide for getting old, especially in a world that doesn't even vaguely resemble what their parents had lived..
Happiness in old age is what you make it to be. 'Aged Whine' is not appreciated in this venue, not even by one's peers. A belly laugh a day helps keep depression away...Anyone who has a phone, neighbors, and a computer can be in touch with people.. One really never need to be lonely as so many people fear. Learn to be happy that there will always be a new day if you wake up.
One generation younger is not too bad. A senior's memory usually goes that far and can relate to what was endured with their offspring from Sesame St though adolescence and now these offspring are in middle age, married with children hassling them, and talk of retiring soon while my senior friends and I are just now considering that move.
Two generations gets into the grandchildrens' lives.. The number of things with which one can identify has now exponentially gone down. At this age, they are too interested in themselves to even think about seniors who are more frequently viewed as the beneficent bankers. A problem is that the seniors can relate to them but they have no way of relating to the senior. They've never been there and can't imagine that they ever will be.
We are aliens who lived in an ancient past without DVDs, DVRs, iPhones, texting, iPads, Kindles and iGotchas. I grew up learning the words of Webster not the Urban Dictionary.(though the Urban is much more fun.) But I now live in a world of Facebook and share with 'friends' of all ages. We mostly share today and not the yesterdays. Relevance is relative there. If seniors can stop telling younger people what to do and let them live their own lives, the world would be a happier place. At least family holidays would be more fun. Seniors must pioneer their own lives as most outlive their parents and have no guide for getting old, especially in a world that doesn't even vaguely resemble what their parents had lived..
Happiness in old age is what you make it to be. 'Aged Whine' is not appreciated in this venue, not even by one's peers. A belly laugh a day helps keep depression away...Anyone who has a phone, neighbors, and a computer can be in touch with people.. One really never need to be lonely as so many people fear. Learn to be happy that there will always be a new day if you wake up.
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