Embracing Change

Why do we keep trying when we know the answer is going to be exactly the opposite of what you want, why do we continue to beat our heads against that proverbial brick wall looking to change things that cannot be changed, and why do we care so strongly for those who have slammed the door in our faces over and over again.

I don’t have the answer but I do seem to continue trying, I talk a lot about letting go of things you can’t change and I try my best to practice what I preach, but you know how it is, there are just some things you can’t let go of no matter how hard you try. So rather than go into the details that are only going to bring us down and still not change anything lets talk about other things we can’t change.

Tracy Lawrence sang the words “The only thing that remains the same is everything changes” in his song Time Marches On, and these words have always stuck in the back of my mind because there is a lot of truth about life in these words, nothing ever stays the same no matter how hard you try to duplicate it, and time marches on adding years to us before we realize, with that said aging is one thing we can’t change.

How do you know you are getting older, one thing is looking at your youngest child as a parent about the same age as you were when your first was born, this makes you see how fast time marches on, I had my 50^th birthday this past year and yes it is different when I think about my wife being married to a 50 year old man, heck I remember sitting out in the front yard with my little friends consoling a young girl from down the street who was distraught because her daddy was turning thirty, we all were talking about how old he was and how we couldn’t believe she had a daddy that old, oh to be thirty now.

Now after the big FIVE OH has set in, to add a reminder I am now getting things in the mail stating that for sixteen dollars a year I can become an AARP member, heck I even get an option to give them a bit more for multi year memberships, I guess these options and a temporary card with my name on it says that I am officially old.

Cindy and I went to the drive through at one of the local fast food joints and she ordered herself a coke at the speaker, the price was given to her and we drove around to the window to pay and pick up her drink, the girl looked into the van and I said “Hey there how’s it going” she said “Fine Thank You” and told Cindy Excuse me a minute and came back with a lower price, Cindy thanked her and asked why the price change, she replied I made a mistake and didn’t give you the Senior Discount at first, I guess I should speak to them more often but I was just being nice, I didn’t realize I was that old.

To add insult to injury I went to get my hair cut yesterday, a new girl was working and I got the pleasure of sitting in her chair, she was very nice and did a very good job, I was impressed with her demeanor and patience, she was very respectful and took her time to make sure everything was perfect, I made my way to the register and Cindy was there to pay, the girl asked if everything was satisfactory and I said that I was pleased, she rang up the charges and said “That will be the Senior Discount for you—right” I said I suppose that I am a senior now huh, she laughed and said we like to take care of our seniors, Cindy was about to die laughing and said “He is only 50” the girl laughed and said “Sorry about that, next time you come in tell them Priscilla said that you get the Senior Discount”

OK now am I really getting that old or are the adults running the world now just getting younger? Embracing Change is accepting the fact that the youngsters are now in charge, and accepting the senior discount just may be a good thing.