The Age Gap

 

The age gap between the generations these days seems to be wider than ever before. When we were young there were two types of people - the young and the old. And to a great extent there was some kind of respect, or reverence, from one to the other. The old were revered and sometimes admired for what they had gone through in life; and the young were seen as the new hope and promise of better days to come.

I remember as a 21 years old an older person saying, "I feel sorry for you. Look what we've left you. Nuclear weapons everywhere, nations who hate each other, and the potential of world annihilation. I hope you do a good job at surviving."

Well, somehow we survived. But what have we got now? Some say the world is a better place, others would disagree; but that's not what we're discussing here.

We have a situation where there are many age gaps amongst us. Those in their teens and early twenties view anyone in their thirties and forties as old. And those in their thirties and forties see anyone over sixty as old; whereas anyone over seventy is truly ancient and belonging to the Jurassic Period.

In the Western world at least, the old are tolerated and sometimes envied because of their relative wealth compared to the youngsters of today struggling to find a job and make ends meet. 

In some cases the old are despised and blamed for the state of the world today. Whether environmentally, economically, politically or in any other way; it is always the fault of the "old" it seems for the state of the world.

And from the elderlies' point of view, do they always see the future generation with hope? Do they see them making a better job than we have? Perhaps not always so.

From my point of view, I acknowledge that the younger generation has it more difficult than we have had. 

For the first time ever in history it seems that the young of today, as a generation, will not grow up wealthier than their parents. 

Competition is much fiercer these days, not just amongst nations but also with technology, computerisation, automation and AI there will simply be less work to go around for a growing world population. 

You can see signs in your towns with many supermarkets introducing self-service check-outs for you to scan and pay for your own shopping, and many factories using less manpower as they introduce robots which do not take a tea break or sick absence and vacations. I'm sure you can think of similar examples.

But it is not in the socio-economic field that I am concerned. 

It is instead because perhaps for the first time ever we have a growing number of people, (again, in the Western world at least), who have distanced themselves from their Maker. 

Belief in God is waning. In some cases it is mocked and derided; and replaced by a new deity referred to as "The Universe" or "Nature" or such vague terms reminiscent of a time when people worshipped planets, mountains and volcanoes in search for some "thing" they believed controlled their destiny.

Yet, in my concerns, I have hope. Perhaps not so much in the next generation, but in an Almighty God, Who will help them and encourage them to grow and flourish, as He did us when we were their age.    

That man who was sorry for me when I was 21 had not counted on God being there to protect me and my contemporaries. 

That very same God is still here. Unchanging, loving and caring for every one of His creations. 

No matter what happens in future, He will be by their side to guide them ... if they let Him.

Are you old?

 

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Are you old? An ancient fossil from a long gone age? Surely not. Age is just a number and a state of mind. In reality we are all young at heart if we want to be.

Here are some definitions of "OLD". I bet they don't apply to you.

OLD’ IS WHEN…
Your sweetie says, ‘Let’s go upstairs and make love,’ and you answer, ‘Pick one; I can’t do both!’

‘OLD’ IS WHEN…
Your friends compliment you on your new alligator shoes and you’re barefoot.

‘OLD’ IS WHEN…
Going bra-less pulls all the wrinkles out of your face.

‘OLD’ IS WHEN….
You don’t care where your spouse goes, just as long as you don’t have to go along.

‘OLD’ IS WHEN…
You are cautioned to slow down by the doctor instead of by the police.

‘OLD’ IS WHEN
‘Getting a little action’ means you don’t need to take a laxative today.

‘OLD’ IS WHEN….
‘Getting lucky’ means you find your car in the parking lot.

‘OLD’ IS WHEN…
An ‘all nighter’ means not getting up to use the bathroom.

‘OLD’ IS WHEN….
You’re not sure if these are facts or jokes.

Courtesy of Inspire21

Anyway ... there are some advantages to being "OLD"

No one expects you to run – anywhere.

People call at 9 pm and ask, “did I wake you?”

People no longer view you as a hypochondriac.

You can eat supper at 4 pm.

You can live without sex but not your glasses.

You get into heated arguments about pension plans.

You no longer think of speed limits as a challenge.

You quit trying to hold your stomach in no matter who walks into the room.

You sing along with elevator music.

Your joints are more accurate meteorologists than the national weather service.

Your secrets are safe with your friends because they can’t remember them either.

You can wear your trousers all the way up to your nipples and hold them there with a belt and braces and everyone thinks you're stylish. A sex symbol for the woman who doesn't care.

And remember… Never, under any circumstances, take a sleeping pill and a laxative on the same night.

Seriously though: be thankful whatever age you are and trust in God to see you through every day onto eternity.

Growing old in England

 

Growing Old in England

Someone asked the other day, ‘What was your favourite fast food when you were growing up?’

‘We didn’t have fast food when I was growing up,’ I informed him. ‘All the food was slow.’

‘C’mon, seriously. Where did you eat?’

‘It was a place called “at home,”‘ I explained. ‘Mum cooked every day and when Dad got home from work, we sat down together at the dining room table, and if I didn’t like what she put on my plate I was allowed to sit there until I did like it.’

He laughed at me. I explained that I had to have permission to leave the table.  But here are some other things I would have told him about my childhood:

• Some parents NEVER owned their own house, never wore Levis, never set foot on a golf course, or had a credit card.
• Pizzas were not delivered to our home … But milk was.
• All newspapers were delivered by boys and all boys delivered newspapers.
• We didn’t have a television in our house until I was 19. It was, of course, black and white, and the station went off the air at midnight, after playing the national anthem.
• My parents never drove me to school. I had a bicycle that weighed probably 50 pounds and only had one speed, (slow).
• I never had a telephone in my room. The only phone was on a party line.
• Before you could dial, you had to listen and make sure some people you didn’t know weren’t already using the line.
• Movie stars kissed with their mouths shut. At least, they did in the movies.
• There were no movie ratings because all movies were responsibly produced for everyone to enjoy viewing, without profanity, violence, or anything offensive.

If you grew up in a generation before there was fast food, you may want to share some of these memories with your children or grandchildren.  

Growing up isn’t what it used to be, is it?