Words for, from and about the older generation

Back in the first part of the 1900s, you either walked or you used horses to get around. Then along came cars and trains and airplanes and spaceships. A few individuals are still alive who have lived through all of these changes. Then we throw in cellphones and the rest of technology. It is amazing how the world has changed in the past 100 years.

The speed at which the world is changing seems to be increasing. I grew up in a rural environment; there was one road through town. You had to drive 40 miles to get to a two-lane interstate. Now there are roads in St. Louis that seem to have six or eight lanes in both directions. Unreal!

Young drivers who have grown up in this high-paced lifestyle seem to take all the traffic and such in style. I don't. Today there are roundabouts and cloverleafs and all kinds of other headaches.

Not that many years ago, I had a good friend who lived close to Scott City. He used to drive an old greenish-colored car with duct tape covering a big dent in one fender. He had painted the duct tape a bright green to cover up the gray color of the tape. He was way up in years. I'll bet he was 80 or so.

Every now and then, while I was driving here or there, I'd encounter my friend on the road. I'd recognize the car, so I'd drive defensively. He was a good driver, but he didn't hear or see or react like he used to. As I age, I realize this is true of me as well.

I was visiting with a friend recently, and we got to talking about fishing and hunting. He said he can't see like he used to because of cataracts and other old-age issues. The last time I went to see Dr. Tom, my eye doctor, he said I would be needing cataract surgery in the future. Then I would most likely have 20/20 eyesight except for reading.

Another issue that comes up as we age is our reflexes. We can't react as quickly as we used to. Almost every weekend, there is an auto race on TV. All the drivers are less than, say, 35 years old. I'm not a serious race-car addict, but I would venture to guess Jeff Gordon is one of the oldest drivers right now.

We don't or can't handle physical accidents like we used to. I enjoy watching a good rodeo. You will see a few bulldoggers or calf ropers who are in their 40s, but you'll see hardly any bull riders or bronc riders over 30.

The older we get, the longer it takes to heal and the more likely we will get seriously hurt. I can't imagine getting bucked off a horse at my age.

I've also noticed my day is filled with a good number of "Huh?" or "What'd you say?" Years of driving all kinds of equipment and shooting guns have taken their toll on my hearing. A deer could walk past my tree stand and I'd never even hear it.

What does this all add up to? Some would say, "Take their driver's license," but that's not the solution. I believe the solution is to slow down and give our fellow drivers some space. Instead of driving like a fool to get somewhere so you can enjoy it, enjoy the trip or the drive to get there as well.

If you are driving down the interstate and you come upon a black Silverado driving slower than everyone else, go ahead and pass me. I'm not going to speed up. If you get behind me in some town, and I'm driving slower than most, calm down or pass me. It won't help if you lean on the horn. In fact, if you lean on the horn it just may cause me to slow down even more with the hopes it will tick you off.

Getting older is inevitable. I don't care who you are or how old you are; you either will die young or you will end up getting old. Show a little compassion and patience toward the older generation. Most of us wouldn't be where we are today if it hadn't been for that "older generation."

Until next time.