BY BETH PINYERD
OPINION —
The United States Census Bureau defines Baby Boomers as “individuals born in the United States between 1946 and mid 1964.” As a Baby Boomer who is 71 years old, where has time gone?
Just like when you have a child, they were babies it seems yesterday, then “boom” they are grown and have babies and grand-babies of their own. As a teacher for so many years in the early childhood classroom now my kindergarten, first and second grade students are grown with children of their own. I run into my students who are now grown and parents at the grocery store, library and community events, and they give their gray-headed teacher a hug and introduce me to their families. Being reacquainted with my students brings me pure joy, but it does gently remind me that I am growing older.
I have mentioned this before about my late mother, Marie Jones. She had one of the greatest senses of humor of anyone I have ever known. Her advice to me was “Beth, you know you are aging when in your ‘old age’ you buy a new refrigerator, and you realize the years of warranty on the refrigerator are going to outlive you. Darling, you have arrived and start to enjoy and live your life.” Her advice was quite good because she lived to be 97 years old.
So, in this article Classroom Observer is going into class herself as I share what I have learned from my senior friends who are older than me, which is total wisdom from their experiences. In our elderly years we have a wiser perspective. This is due to the stockpile of circumstances and experiences we have lived through.
“Que sera, sera, whatever will be, will be, the future’s not ours to see, que sera, sera,” by Jay Livingston and Ray Evans and sung by Doris Day is one of my favorite songs from 1966. As we Baby Boomers enter our elderly years, this song is good in applying that we should not worry about the future, but we should be prepared. How can we be prepared?
Baby Boomers can go get free advice from the older greater generation (born 1901-1924) as well as our older family members and friends who are in their 80s and 90s. It is so good to sit and chats with our senior friends. The time spent with them spell love to them. Here are some very good life truth tips for Baby Boomers to live by as we grow older.
- Be grateful that you have reached this age. So many of my senior friends share with me that they are grateful to live another day. They share with me that each day is a gift from God. They share as they reflect upon the past and present the many blessings they have received in the mountaintops as well as the valleys in life. Gratefulness, even for the simplest of blessings, changes a life outlook perspective which enables we Baby Boomers to live our lives well.
- Life is not going to be easy as you age but try to stay positive on the worst days. Problems will come our way that may throw us into feeling depressed, not in control and defeated. As we age, we cannot control the problem, but we can choose how we are going to respond to the problem by con-trolling our attitude and outlook. How can we do this?
(a) Try not to dwell on the problem and become negative. “This too shall pass” are the words of advice I hear from my senior friends. Reflect back on post answered prayers about problems and how problems have been solved in the past. Reflections of past problems working out give us hope!
(b) Focus your attention on favorite hobbies or creative outlets you enjoy. Get your mind off your problem.
(c) Think happy, truthful thoughts. These thoughts then enter your heart and become your way of looking at the world! Positive thoughts bring on happy outreach to others in words and deeds.
(d) As we age, because we haven’t walked this path before, FEAR can enter into our daily thoughts. From the wisdom of others, Fear can stand for F-False, E-Evidence, A-Appearing, R-Real. I love how Mark Twain sizes up worry and fear saying, “I’ve lived through some terrible things in my life, some which actually happened.” We are remind-ed from this that most of the things and stuff we worry about never happens.
(e) As we age, we are given priorities in life of what is important and what is not. The “things” of this world grow strangely dim. We make choices to spend more time in relationships with family and friends. We are able to choose on how to spend our time according to our health, talents and gifts to share with others, hobbies and interests. The aging process helps us to let go of the insignificance and trivial concerns and to truly focus on what is important. My senior friends have described it to me as being comfortable and content with their lives and who they are. - As we Baby Boomers age, take time to enjoy nature, God’s world. Get off the treadmill of the busy life and take time “to smell the roses.” Seeing a beautiful sunset in Lee County, looking at beautiful butterflies, flowers, listening to birds singing, local lakes, streams, etc. bring upon happiness, contentment and appreciation in our elderly years.
I conclude this article of being in the Baby Boomer class with wisdom with my favorite life verse, Jeremiah 29:11: For I know the plans that I have for you says the Lord, thoughts of peace and not of evil, to give you a future and hope.”
Beth Pinyerd has taught many years in the early childhood classroom. She has a master’s degree in early childhood education.