One of the things that younger people either love or hate about us, when we grow older, is that we talk about things we did in the past. Well, that is because when they do something, we remember that we have “been there, and done that,” too. I find that the time before me now is much shorter than those times behind me, and it is nice to remember those years of long ago.
When I comment that, I was once a majorette, people look at me and marvel that such a thing could have been. If I mention that my last job was an IT Specialist, they are amazed. Well, if you look a little deeper at a senior person, you might be surprised at what you find.
I was always interested in my friends’ mothers and fathers. To me they were living history. I had a friend whose mother’s “boyfriend” wore white suits and road a streetcar to visit her. When they were married they were so poor that they had to share a one bedroom apartment with another couple – slept in the same bedroom in twin beds! How different from now.
I think of older people as living history. I have friends who are 15 years older than I am, and I love talking to them about their lives. Everyone has a history, and even if they do not think it is interesting, it can be. The fact that my one of my older friends is black and experienced discrimination and segregation first hand is interesting. I was a little girl and just a very young woman when they fought for their rights. Living History.
People with aging conditions like Dementia seem to go back to previous times, perhaps when they were happier. Do not wait for that to happen. I say- Go back now.
So, my thoughts on this are if you are older like I am, do not feel guilty going back in time. There are many more years back there than are probably in your future. Also, your body was younger and could do more things. Relish in the past experiences and live in it once in a while. When you think, “been there, done that,” go back and remember those times.
When I comment that, I was once a majorette, people look at me and marvel that such a thing could have been. If I mention that my last job was an IT Specialist, they are amazed. Well, if you look a little deeper at a senior person, you might be surprised at what you find.
I was always interested in my friends’ mothers and fathers. To me they were living history. I had a friend whose mother’s “boyfriend” wore white suits and road a streetcar to visit her. When they were married they were so poor that they had to share a one bedroom apartment with another couple – slept in the same bedroom in twin beds! How different from now.
I think of older people as living history. I have friends who are 15 years older than I am, and I love talking to them about their lives. Everyone has a history, and even if they do not think it is interesting, it can be. The fact that my one of my older friends is black and experienced discrimination and segregation first hand is interesting. I was a little girl and just a very young woman when they fought for their rights. Living History.
People with aging conditions like Dementia seem to go back to previous times, perhaps when they were happier. Do not wait for that to happen. I say- Go back now.
So, my thoughts on this are if you are older like I am, do not feel guilty going back in time. There are many more years back there than are probably in your future. Also, your body was younger and could do more things. Relish in the past experiences and live in it once in a while. When you think, “been there, done that,” go back and remember those times.
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