It's Time to Get Out the Red Carpet

Why would a young person see an advantage in aging if most older people they’re exposed to complain all the time, focus on the past and yank back on their aged ideas like they were snagging and reeling in a huge pike? 

Would there be any hope in aging? I’m not talking about physical traces of aging. I’m talking about the possibility we can evolve our opinions, values and dreams over time.

Young people need hope, they are deciding what they want for their life, their future. It’s not helpful for them to worry about dilemmas aged people keep putting front-forward. They need space. They need to feel trust in us to keep our act together so the youth have room to create chaos, take risks and gamble on their own future, which means to make inevitable mistakes we all did.

I believe wholeheartedly we are not doing youth any favors by giving the impression we float on our merits when we get “older”. It’s difficult, but we need to impress on them each year there is hope. Seeing our open-mindedness gives them a door to open when they want to trust we have a compass, especially when they feel afloat and frightened. 

My wish is to impress in them we aren’t cemented to the past and we can change. Even the Berlin Wall came down.

I’m not underestimating physical pain, regrets or grieving of the past. I have plenty and I feel for all of us who struggle each day with those. 

I’m not saying pretend. It’s not about pretending there is no pain in living. There is plenty. But there is as much to be grateful for and strive for and I’m suggesting let those be the focus. Put a red carpet down for those who come after us.

When we limit our living to sunny days, happy times and perfection (which by the way does not exist) they watch and learn that all those in-between times are crap, as something to be crossed out on the calendar as drudge. 

Think about the all those clouds and storms we’ve let pass and we’ve lost our chance to laugh, play and revel in the present. Most importantly we’ve lost the chance to show our youth darkness and pain are a part of life. We can look those struggles in the eye, jump on and dare them to buck us off.

“Nah….it’s rainy and cold, I’ll take a pass on today.” Rest, yes, it can be what we need. But we can’t afford to pass what might be a gift in disguise. We can’t spare a day even if it is not-so-perfect.

To see the clarity and stillness in a cold winter morning. To whistle while we work. To rustle up courage to get moving. To make a call, write a letter, say “Good Morning”. Those are just a few openings to magic. Unexpected and available only if we open up our eyes and our hearts to possibility. 

If we are able to see possibility perhaps someone younger watching us will open up to possibilities in their lives.