I'm IN!
Being one year short of 60, I undeniably qualify for the SENIOR Citizen discount in many fabulous locations:)
AARP
Thursday discounts at the grocery store
Dinner discounts if you eat before 5pm
YIKES!
If you had asked me in my 40's about my life coming to this- I would have said: "Lots of time..."
PLUS
I do senior citizen things now....
Like calling everyone under 45 a "kid".
Talking about my grandbaby until everyone around me wants to puke. (well it's true she is the cutest and smartest)
When I was younger, I was never shocked by much, but in today's world there are a few shocking things.
Being one year short of 60, I undeniably qualify for the SENIOR Citizen discount in many fabulous locations:)
AARP
Thursday discounts at the grocery store
Dinner discounts if you eat before 5pm
YIKES!
If you had asked me in my 40's about my life coming to this- I would have said: "Lots of time..."
PLUS
I do senior citizen things now....
Like calling everyone under 45 a "kid".
Talking about my grandbaby until everyone around me wants to puke. (well it's true she is the cutest and smartest)
When I was younger, I was never shocked by much, but in today's world there are a few shocking things.
Not the normal stuff you would think, like Justin Bieber's rap sheet or a twerking Miley Cyrus. #NothingNewUnderTheSun Back in my day it was Madonna or in the 60's even the Beatles were shocking.
Nope that is not it.
Want to shock an old hag like me?
Well, kids- do one of the below 7 things:
and
BINGO! SHOCKAROO!
Ok, here we go:
SEVEN WAYS TO SHOCK A SENIOR CITIZEN
1.WAIT. Don't be so fast to discount us and move on because we are old. An older person I know was talking to a 20 something, and before he could finish his sentence, the 20 something said "boy you really are old, don't you know what "hooking up" means?" Ummm, Yes, we do know what that means. We are old, we aren't dead. Give us a chance to speak. Our minds don't move as fast as they used to:) Sometimes it is shocking if we are allowed to finish our thought.
2.EXPLAIN. What texting abbreviations mean, or why in heavens name Snap Chat exists? I mean, lol its not 2EZ and sometimes its 2M2H! Explain it slowly and don't get irritated! 4COL!! If you do this it will be 2GTBT and we will be shocked!
3.BE PATIENT. I am trying to learn Instagram right now, I know how to do Facebook, and kind of understand Twitter (a little). I am lucky my son's girlfriend is patient and kind with me:) She is my source for all things techno. We are trying with all this stuff- but remember we were around before computers!...... No, that is not a joke. Sometimes all this new stuff makes our rear ends tired. Nuff said.
4.LISTEN. When we say something we usually know what we are talking about. Just patiently listen. There really is such a thing as wisdom-that's biblical:) Even though we might not know as much as you do about technology, We KNOW LIFE. We have been doing this thing called life a lot longer than you. Sometimes, we have even done it well...I know...pretty shocking.
5.HEED. What in the Cat Hair? My husband is in the business of helping mostly younger people with problems. It is still SHOCKING for him when someone actually HEEDS what he says. So many times they will listen, but then do what seems right in their own eyes. Usually it isn't. When a younger person actually goes out and does what we advise, we are SHOCKED!
6.SPIRITUAL FORMATION. Well kids, I don't want to make you irritated, but old duffers like us have been applying God's Word to our lives for an awfully long time. We know what we are doing, for the most part. The old saying "wisdom comes with age" seems to be true. Still, it is a head scratcher for us when a younger person does not understand the SIN they are involved in. An older friend of mine recently was contacted by a young fellow she had been mentoring for years. He was lamenting that his life was not going as well as he felt it should be. She had finally had enough of encouraging him along and flatly pointed out the sin he was engaged in. He was surprised, but agreed after she pointed out the scriptural applications to him. Still, he was not willing to change his lifestyle. Yes that is shocking to me...and sad.
7.ASK. To be honest, some of us are shocked when we are ASKED by the younger generation to give them input. Frankly sometimes I look out at Gen-Xers and Millennials and it seems like the blind leading the blind. You would rather ask a buddy or the internet how to raise your kids instead of someone who has been there, done that, AND got the trophy. Inexplicably this: You NEED an older mentor. RUN and get one as fast as your legs can carry you.
Please don't misunderstand me- I LOVE to interact with ya'll who are younger than me, it is stimulating, fun, and you have great new ideas! Social media is way awesome- love it!
My hunny and I are blessed beyond measure that our kids would rather listen to two old crusty missionaries than anyone else:)
Just remember this: Nothing much shocks we Seniors anymore. Heavens, we lived through the Vietnam War, a presidential assassination, Watergate, and Woodstock. Some of us were even AT Woodstock....just sayin.
Years from now, when you are a Senior (and it IS coming, faster than the speed of lightening) you will have lived through the onset of instant information at your fingertips, news while it is happening, and who knows what else. I wonder if anything will shock you?
Who in the Cat Hair knows?
Only our God.
