Saturday, November 13, 2010

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 50th 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.

19 comments:

  1. Sorry Honey i could not figure out how to sign in on this lap top lol well like you tell me all the time it does no good to beat your head against the wall. and by the way i don't think your old but i do like the discount on my drinks oh yea and on your hair cut lol Love ya

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  2. I don't think it was you Cindy, I had a hard time signing in myself.

    Yes I know that it does no good to beat my head against that wall but..I'll try OK

    Whew thought I was getting old there for a minute, I guess getting good prices on haircuts and drinks don't necessarily mean I am ancient as of yet huh :^)

    I Love You too Cindy

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  3. You 2 are amazing together...and pretty funny!:)))

    I don't like change....I guess with age we can be thankful it's gradual. Well....until you qualify for the seniors discount...then that's pretty sudden huh?
    I'd take advantage of it. Nothing like pinching pennies:)))))

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  4. Hey Dawn, Yes age does come upon us gradual but if we don't pay attention we are all of a sudden getting discount drinks Ha Ha

    Nothing wrong with saving a bit here and there :)

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  5. Dang! I had no idea my discounting days were just around the bend! I'm only 3 years behind you, Jimmy! But yeah, I think about how my parents were downsizing when they were just about 5 years older than I am now! Yikes!

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  6. I stomp on those AARP letters when they come in the mail! Last time, I threw out my back doing it!

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  7. "she replied I made a mistake and didn’t give you the Senior Discount at first."

    OMG...how funny!

    I hope Cindy reached through the pickup window and slapped her - HA!

    You GO, Cindy!

    And it's ironic that you mentioned AARP, because I just received a letter from them yesterday - I KID YOU NOT! I didn't even open it, I just threw it in the trash!

    You're so right, my friend...the only thing that's constant in this life is CHANGE. And like you, I try to practice what I preach...but you know how that is!

    Great post, Jimmy!

    Hope you and Cindy are enjoying a fabulous weekend being Senior Citizens.

    Sincerely,

    Ron (who is now 55 years old)- HA!

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  8. I myself have gotten the AARP letter in the mail. Hmmmm...I thought I still had a few years before that! Oh well. a discount is a discount is a discount...no matter how you have to get it. Further, I will take aging any day...I still am unsure of the alternative!

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  9. Jimmy.. I turned the Big 50 this past August and yes, AARP and a few others were in my maibox.. But guess what, 50's are the new 40's.. Sooooo, get that discount but look and act 40.. That sounds like a win-win plan:-)

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  10. Good Lord, Jimmy, 50 is not a senior citizen. And unless your photo is really old, you look no where near 65. Silly kids! I am not even a senior yet and I'm 64.

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  11. Jimmy, you look 50, but not 65...yet. Lol! My wife looks so much younger than me, but there is actually only 4+ years difference in our ages. I am 71, she is 66, but she looks 50, like you. The people who collect my money automatically give me my senior citizen discount, then they look at her and cannot believe she is a senior citizen. She has shown her driver's license many times to prove her age. So why am I falling apart, and she isn't??? Lol!

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  12. Hey Coco, Isn’t it funny how much younger 50 looks as we get closer to it. See I gave you something to look forward to, the discounting days are a good thing :^)

    Betty, I can understand how you feel, I have a stack here on my desk that I forgot to throw away and I am hoping one of the younger kids just may feel sorry for me Thanksgiving and carry them to the trash for me so I don’t hurt myself.

    Hey Ron, Having a fabulous Senior weekend here my friend, it is so funny a couple years ago I started getting those AARP letters and laughed because I was too young, now I fit right into their age limit either they lowered the bar or I caught up Ha Ha, I don’t blame you for chunking them in the trash, the stack I have here will end up there with no money going their way right now.

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  13. Yes Susie, They do start sending them out way before you are to the right age, I guess buttering you up so to say, I’ll take the discounts and will be happy to age because as you pointed out I don’t care for the alternative.

    Hey Lynne, It appears you are a couple months my junior and I’ll take your definition of 50 being the new 40, heck 40 looks like an age I could handle being again :^) that and a discount on top is definitely a win/win.

    Yes Linda, I agree “Silly Kids” as the adults running this world are a whole lot younger it seems, I don’t think any of us look 65 as of yet and my picture here I am proud to say is from August so not too very old :^)

    Hey Richard, So glad to have you join us my Friend, isn’t it funny that we used to show our license to prove how old we were and now we show it to prove that we are not that old, of all of us I think you would be the one least likely to be falling apart yet :^)

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  14. Amen Jimmy! I love senior discounts. Take them when ever you can get them :-)

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  15. Yes Sir, I have come to the conclusion that you are right :) you just have to love discounts.

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  16. Oh yeah! I feel your pain my friend!
    I just turned 60 and I've now accepted "senior discounts" as a good thing. the hardest thing is being a 25 year old stuck in an old mans body...Having said all that, I'm happy as a clam!

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  17. I think the adults running the world are just getting younger!!!! We're not getting older just better!

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  18. If we can get past the fact we are getting older.... the discounts are wonderful! Susan :)

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  19. Hey Pat, I can relate to this my Friend “the hardest thing is being a 25 year old stuck in an old mans body...” because when I look in the mirror the man I see is a whole lot older that the one I see in my head.

    Suzicate, Yes the adults are getting younger all the time, it seems they are aging way faster than us Ha Ha

    Susan, The discounts actually work for me :^) I suppose getting older beats not getting there at all.

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