Generational Differences

Most of us remember our grandparents and our parents saying things like: “When I was your age we had to...” whatever was under discussion. The amazing thing is that we are saying the same thing to our children, are we not? “When I was your age we had to get up the couch to change the television channel.”

            What will our grandchildren tell their children about the pandemic? “We had to wear masks all the time.” Doesn’t sound so bad when you compare it to grandpa boasting that he walked three miles to school in snowstorms without proper footwear!!

            Will the pandemic sound so bad to young people who never experienced it? I mean, think about our parents and grandparents talking to us about the Second World War or the Great Depression. Sad times for sure, but it seemed so far back that we didn’t lose sleep over it. It didn’t affect us because it was part of the lives of those who came before us just as covid is now our scourge. Those who will come after us will hear recounting of how life was affected during the pandemic, but it will be a long-forgotten event with little interest for most of them.

            However, not so for those who lost relatives to the disease. That will always be part of the sad history of families. Will the generation yet to be born carry the shame of those who today refuse to abide by the rules to contain the disease? They may well have to come to terms with their families’ role in increasing the number of those who perished.

It’s more than time that we realize that we are all part of society and that we must stand together, not defy each other, when it comes to saving lives.   

 

2021

We’ve entered into yet another year. It’s amazing how fast twelve months can fly by, isn’t it? When I was a child, time seemed so slow especially in the classroom, but somewhere along the way time began to speed up to an incredible pace that sometimes leaves me completely baffled, even when living through a pandemic.

However, as I get used to writing 2021, I’ve begun to realize that each new year is an opportunity to leave the past behind and plunge head on into the future. In my book, newness will always be welcome as an opportunity to make changes. At the start of a new year I don’t make resolutions as such. I only make myself aware that there’s always room for improvement in many areas of life.

Of course, each new year means that before it is over, each of us will be adding a candle on our birthday cake. In my case, my son commented recently that we might need a fireman close by when lighting all those candles, but I digress.

The unknown author had it right: Do not regret growing older, it’s a privilege denied to many. Of course, as we age we may encounter more aches and pain, but I think it’s important to realize that laughing at life’s foibles and concentrating on sharing the wisdom of years of living with our children and grandchildren is what aging is all about.

When it comes to aging, I like to think of Alphonse Karr’s comment: Some people are always grumbling because roses have thorns; I am grateful thorns have roses. May you have many roses on your path in the coming year to lessen the pain of the thorns.

January is Alzheimer Awareness Month

When you talk to people who have reached 50 many seem to worry about ending with dementia. Are they in danger of succumbing, they wonder. While we never know what the future holds, January is a good time to be aware of the many steps we can take to ensure that our brains remain healthy and vigorous for a long time.

            It is especially important to be aware of the dangers of isolation in the current climate of covid. Staying home may keep us virus free but it can be unhealthy if we don’t find ways to interact with people. It is widely accepted that regular interaction with others lessens risks of developing dementia.

            Video meetings are a blessing to see family members, even those who are very far away. That’s one of the marvels of our modern communication possibilities: we can see and interact with one another wherever we are.

            And the internet is a wonder when it comes to finding ways of being socially connected.  The array of possibilities is amazing. It is possible to live stream classes of all sorts, from languages to painting, and most things in between. One can join a vertical book club, play word games of all sorts or test personal skills against others in a variety of online games.  

            You may feel that online games are for kids, but I’m not so sure. They are certainly worth a try, and they may make you feel young again if you test yourself against younger players. Can you think of a more pleasant way to keep dementia at bay?

 

A New Beginning

When 2020 first appeared on the scene I don't think anyone believed that it would become the destroyer it proved to be. But while many of us made it through without substantial damage, we nevertheless did learn a thing or two.

            Even if we might have preferred to forget it, we were definitely reminded that we never know what might be waiting just around the corner. The world was attacked by an invisible enemy which could well have been Mother Earth putting her foot down. If you read the stats, you know that it has been determined that our planet cleaned up its act by more than 7% in the last year. That's how much less garbage we spewed into the air because of the many grounded planes and because people drove a lot less. However the trend will certainly not continue as the world returns to its old ways which could well mean more surprises we might not like. But I must say there is a chance we might win the battle because electric cars are steadily gaining ground and tremendous strides are being made by carbon engineering to produce fuel from CO₂.    

            And as our lives were disrupted and we spent more time at home we were reminded of the need to ensure our physical as well as our emotional wellbeing. A long daily walk along with some stretching and yoga exercises (in my case qi gong) took care of the physical. And those of us who live alone learned the importance of staying in touch with others even if we could not be with them nor partake in various social activities. Luckily we were able to take full advantage of modern video capabilities as well as of that little invention from Alexander Graham Bell. We also learned to play various games on line with other lonely souls.

            However, I believe that the most important thing we learned is that we all need to stand together and support each other. The grim statistics we got used to hearing every day proved that thousands of people lost loved ones and continue to grieve, while so many others saw their revenue come to halt. It has been a difficult holiday season for tons of families because of lack of funds but we have proven ourselves by helping the most vulnerable among us through food and monetary donations.

            We can only hope that such generosity will not come to an end because covid is far from having retreated despite the vaccines. The world will not recover overnight from its assault so it is important to remember those who continue to suffer. We have entered a new phase but the light at the end of the tunnel is certainly not as sharp as it will eventually be.

Let's be cognisant of the fact that it'll be a while before everyone is back on their feet. 

           

 

 

Like No Other

How can the year 2020 be qualified? It has certainly been interesting, some people say, but I think a better description is that it has been a year like no other in our lifetime. And life will continue to be surprising as we look forward to a new year when the pandemic will surely be conquered. At least that’s the hope we all have that vaccines will do their job.

            The last few months have led us to a Christmas that will be like no other we have experienced. We must continue to be vigilant so we can save lives which will mean celebrations will be much quieter and often away from loved ones. But we can do it. I mean, we have come this far and just a few more weeks will lead us to the light at the end of the tunnel.

            The anti-maskers will continue to defy orders and, as been suggested, those who get the dreaded virus should be relegated to the end of the line when it comes to getting medical care. I agree that it’s probably the only way to go right now. I mean can’t they see the rising number of deaths? Can’t they see that they too can get sick? Let’s hope they come to their senses.

            No matter how each of us marks the end of year celebrations, let’s be mindful of all those who are sick and all those who are grieving. Those of us who have not been touched by the virus should be so very grateful. We have received a great gift that will make the Season special as we enjoy all the decorations people are making a special effort to make especially impressive. They are a bright spot in a year like no other.                

            As I do every year at this time, I am taking a few weeks off from my blog to concentrate on staying in touch with family and friends by writing or by making full use of the video possibilities at our disposal. As long as we can see each other digitally, all is well is it not?

            Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year full of hope to all of you who read my blog. I will be back in January.

 

Writing History

For so many of us the pandemic has meant that our social and group activities have been seriously reduced for some time now. The end result has been more hours spent in and around the house. Many people have used that extra time to do some impressive home renovations or, simply, what I call home adjustments: making better use of space, clearing unwanted clutter, and so forth. All very positive pursuits which have resulted in personal satisfaction according to those I know who have done it.

            For my part, in the last few months I have been spending time writing my memoirs. No, I don’t have any great feats to talk about, like having been the recipient of a Nobel prize, but I wanted my children and grandchildren to know about the experiences of those who have come before them and how life has unfolded in recent decades.

            The more I wrote, the more I realized that some of the events I was writing about were interesting from a historical point of view as well as from a family point of view. I think my grandchildren will be fascinated by the fact that not so long ago people led productive and happy lives without having a phone stuck to them at all times. Then I realized that the number of changes I have seen over the years is simply amazing. So my ongoing writing is not only for my family but also for me. There is satisfaction in knowing how we have progressed. A few decades ago I was the first one in my group to get a computer at home. Of course, it was basically a word processor, but I still remember how fascinated I was that I could simply delete copy with a few key strokes rather than with an eraser as had been the case when using a typewriter, a machine today’s kids may never have seen.

I think that all older people should consider writing about their experiences. Of course, not everyone likes to write, a relative told me recently, so I suggested she simply record her memories; the voice will be an additional personal aspect for her family.

I can attest to the fact that being busy with an interesting project helps reduce the worry about how much longer the pandemic will last. Even in dark days there’s always a light somewhere, is there not?

 

Birthdays

The pandemic has altered our lives, but one thing that hasn’t changed is the fact that birthdays have not stopped. They still come around on a regular basis. We may not celebrate the way we did just a few months ago, but we still age and birthdays don’t let us forget.

There are countless sayings about age, for example that it’s just a number, but the one I like best is that the higher the number the faster it shows up. Those of us of a certain age can certainly feel that each new birthday appears to spring up faster and faster. What is scarier, however, is when your children talk about how old they are and your grandchildren bemoan how fast time flies.

In my family the age difference of siblings is wide. An older sister who married young has children who are now retired. A bit of a shock for me because I never imagined that I could ever become a retiree’s auntie!

Even if time seems to go faster as we age, we are all in the same boat and each day is a blessing. Birthdays should make us aware of the danger of rusting physically and emotionally especially in the current pandemic. A birthday is another chance to find new ways of living with zest without forgetting to laugh because a day when we have not laughed is a wasted day.

Even if my grandson no longer asks me if I am younger or older than 100, I can still take steps to one day reach that number.