At 70+, how should I act?

I have pondered this recently, and watch how my peers handle getting older.  Sometimes their actions are influenced by the significant health events in their lives, and some suffer with slumped backs, walking with devices to keep them steady, face financial concerns, and often have sight and hearing issues.  Many suffer with what I call “lonesome-itis”.  Their friends and family have died, and nobody wants to hear about how they fought in a forgotten war, or hear about their family or significant past events in their life.  Most could care less about MTV and view with disgust the likes of Lady Gaga.  Today’s music is a blur of shouting and a beat that shakes the earth.  It is sad to see as they slide into what might be correctly be diagnosed as clinical depression.  Often they view themselves as observers of their crumbling lives, and accept a place in the corner of events instead of being an active participant.  The respect that they once garnered is gone, and they have decided to accept that their voice is no longer to be taken note of.

I personally have decided to buck all this as much as I can.  I expect respect not so much for what I am now, but for the wisdom that might be worth taking note of.  I want my voice to be heard whether in the political arena, or in my family.  I will stand tall as I walk and when I am with others.  My voice will remain strong and I will say what is on my mind in spite of the possibly of being at odds with either popular opinion or what others may think.

I want to be a source of positive feedback when I see what I like.  I have always grown from those who have given me complements.  I will acknowledge what I find to be beautiful whether it is an attractive young woman or the beauty of that which is painted by the human hand.  I will treasure my photos and use them in emails, videos I create, and to show what beauty I find in life.  I will go out of my way to make sure that good sermons, good performances, or generally kindnesses are positively acknowledged.

I will continue to try to affect change in that which I find bad.  My voice will be heard either through actively cultivating relationships with those who represent me in government, or those who affect our lives.  

I will continue to be proud of my family, my friends, and what I have done in my life.  I have not achieved greatness, but I have lived life in as honorably as I could.  I have fallen at times, but I have always tried to find forgiveness and make course corrections in my life.

I am happy, and want to continue to be happy!  In pursuit of this goal I do what I am doing right now in writing and with the desire to modify what can be modified to make for happiness every minute of my life from now on.  I sleep like a baby, not with the security of financial success, but with the knowledge that I am who I am.

— Enough

Civil Discourse

Definition: "Civil discourse is engagement in discourse (conversation) intended to enhance understanding".  I can't imagine how Washington has become so broken, but I am sure it is in part due to the fact that civil discourse is NOT practiced.  I hear it even at our dinner table, and every time I turn on the TV to hear people of opposing opinions speak.  To me, civil discourse means;

• hearing every person's opinion without interruption.
• eyeing the person speaking.
• always being allowed to finish a sentence, even if a person is gathering their thoughts to finish a point.
• speaking up, but not over others as they speak.
• being a contributor even if it is contrary to the current person's point.  This is never done in mumbled opposition, but contributed politely at the end of the speaker's sentence.
• remembering that some people, like myself, don't hear well, or are separated by enough distance to make it hard to hear.
• changing the subject at an appropriate point.  
• a group discussion doesn't mean your thought is important or even cared about by others.
• humor should be used, but not off-color or with vulgarity.
• off-color or vulgarity can emphasize a point, but you may lose your audience.

Just some thoughts.  -- Enough

When is an airline pilot too old.

A good friend, Steve, who is an airline pilot, commented on a heart attack suffered by an airline pilot on a flight recently.  He expressed concern about the age of retirement for pilots suggesting that the age should be lowered.

Speaking as an older person, we are all vulnerable, Steve.  A friend of mine in apparent good health, and having passed a medical examiner certificate test, dropped dead in the landing of the company I was working for at the time.  He was 34.  I am always conflicted when I get to the airport and see who will be the pilot on my flight.  On the one hand I am happy to see a young person, hoping their reactions are great, or the older person who instills confidence that he or she will know what to do in an emergency.  I remember seeing a fellow by the name of Bob Hoover, a WWII test pilot and the guy in the inset picture, perform at an air show.  He piloted a two engine plane with engines turned off and put the plane in a dive from a few thousand feet and did a loop about 100 feet off the ground.  I am 73, suffering some old age issues, but would really go for experience in the cockpit.   When is a pilot too old?  Maybe Chuck Yaeger and Bob Hoover are good examples of how some people age well.  My grandfathers died in their seventies.  My dad died in his eighties.  I hope to be active into my nineties.  I am happy that you, Steve, as a pilot now have the magic of new electronics to help make you and your peer pilots handle these massive planes safely.  If I had the ideal combination in the cockpit, it would be a healthy 70 year old seasoned pilot with a young buck with lots of simulation experience.  -- Enough

Standing tall

When I was in the military, we were told what our posture had to be.  "Chest out, gut in, and stand tall."  I was in a doctors office, and he made a comment to "stand tall", George!  If you ever see me sit, you know I slouch a lot.  But, more and more I try to stand tall in the hope that gravity, arthritis, and osteoporosis won't take a toll on this aging body!  -- Enough

Content and presentation

Bishop Fulton J. Sheen about 1965

There are many times I sit in the pew of a church and hear a sermon by a dedicated member of the clergy.  Sometimes the content is good, sometimes platitudes, sometimes laced with real world experiences, and usually with biblical references.  The content is usually good, and sometimes the presentation is okay, but all too often lacking the punch that a great presenter has.  I have been watching old videos of Bishop Sheen, and I remember how I was mesmerized by this master at presenting a message.  This is how I remember seeing him on TV.  The video was grainy, and in black and white.  His garb was part of his mystique.  My grandmother would never miss the Bishop Sheen show, and I often wondered if she really understood the message?  But his presentation was awesome!  I can only hope that Christ's messages in the hands of these modern day preachers could be enhanced by the gestures, the speaking qualities of a Bishop Sheen, and with Christ's messages.  I believe that Christ must have been a great presenter, with the messages that even today shape the world!  -- Enough

People who change your life

When I was a new manager with a large corporation I had a woman working for me.   She was never tardy, she worked hard, she helped me when I needed help".  One day when we had a difficult inventory problem, she said "why don't we try to use this new computer" we had access to.  This would be about 1972.  She changed my life as I found out I had the skills to design computer applications.  I went on to write inventory applications that were the foundation for inventory control throughout the entire company.  I wrote the first Equal Employment  (EEOC) programs used for five years by this company.  I am forever in debt to this wonderful lady!

Dreaming

I have some strange dreams!  At his writing, I am 73, and often feel like I am in my 50s, but I am reminded in so many ways that I am no longer young.  I have dreams where I am called back into military service, and at times think of putting in an application for a job that I am clearly no longer fit to do.  Even in my dreams, or perhaps as I start to awaken, I realize that these things are impossible to achieve.  I am heartened by the knowledge that I still have ambitious dreams, even though they represent the impossible.  -- Enough