Generation Gap

Day 73

“Sometimes we look back and 10 years from now we think, ‘Boy, those were great old days.’ Well, you know, we’re living in the good old days.”

– Joel Osteen

I caught up on the last episode of American Crime Story: The People v. O.J. Simpson last night. They played That Lady by the Isley Brothers in one of the scenes, and all of a sudden, I’m  back in time, out with my friends on a perfect summer night, warm breeze in the air, dressed up, dancing the night away, everybody’s having a good time, and no-one has a care in the world. The good old days. You know that feeling right? Nostalgia for a time gone by, when the world was simpler, and things made sense.

That got me thinking, why does every generation think this way? Why do we look back with fondness at the past? Is it just about the memories themselves? Is it an age thing?  Is it a generation thing? Is it an era thing? Or is it that we don’t live in the moment?

It reminds me of a something my dad once said to me about ‘the generation gap‘, when I had flat out turned down a marriage prospect because he wasn’t into reggae. I liked reggae, what can I say? I’m sure there must have been another reason, or at least I hope there was! My dad told me that music tastes weren’t an important consideration, and I told him he didn’t understand, it’s a lifestyle thing, it’s a generation thing.

Wise man that he was, he said:

“Rajni, there is no such thing as a generation gap. Every generation has the same experiences. We all have the same desires when we are young. When you get to be my age, you will think the same way as I do. You won’t even listen to reggae yourself in a few years.”

“Remember this: beauty fades, interests change, and in the end, the person’s character matters the most. You will go through many things in life, and how your life partner reacts will make all the difference in your happiness.”

“You’ll remember my words when I’m gone.”

– Mankeshwar Lal Kurichh

I remember, Daddy. And I don’t listen to reggae anymore.

By the way, that wise man was also very cool and stylish in his day, as you can see in the feature image of my handsome dad. 🙂

So, we can rule out generation as the reason we look back. I think the memories themselves are a good reason, but the question still remains, why? Why do those times seem more precious than the present? Let’s explore age and era. Do we get nostalgic as we get older, or for a certain time period, like when we actually interacted with each other in person before all this technology?

Wanting the perspective of another age group and era, I asked my mom if she looked back at old times with fondness too. Of course, she did, especially her school days. In an effort to drill down to the root of the feeling, I kept asking her why, until ultimately her response was that it was a time when she was free and had no real responsibilities. Ah ha! Freedom.

Apparently that’s a topic that the Universe wants me to keep talking about because it keeps showing up. That means both you and I need to work through some things that are going on in our lives right now that have to do with freedom, or the lack thereof. Let’s go with it, and see where it takes us, and what it has to do with the good old days.

Right now, a lot of people I know are making big changes in their lives by moving to different cities or countries, and in some cases across the world, to be closer to their families and get back to their roots, to the things that matter. Some are embarking on a second career, or just leaving the first one to take a leap of faith into the great unknown, consciously deciding to let the Universe guide them to their next step.

We are entering a period of social awakening, a heightened consciousness of Who We Really Are, and what we are doing here. People are starting to get more in touch with their creative energy, and seeking freedom from the limitations they have placed on themselves about who they are, what their roles in society are, and what is really important to them.

What does all this have to do with looking back at the good old days? We are waking up to the fact that what we do with every moment of our lives matters now, not just when we we’re young or when we retire. There’s no glory or virtue in living a life without passion, only to look back with regret. We want the freedom to live our lives the way we choose. That’s why we are nostalgic for the good old days, because when we are young, we throw caution to the wind, and jump feet first into everything life has to offer.

Don’t let age, time, and responsibility be deterrents to soaking up every amazing experience this life has to offer you. You don’t stop breathing, or needing food, or wanting to be loved, or having interests because of the passage of time, or because you have kids, or jobs, or mortgages or anything else, so why stop doing the things you love?

A very wise man once told me, we are all the same, no matter what, including age and the passage of time. So go ahead, pursue your passion, live life as large as you can.

These are the good old days.

Thank you, thank you, thank you!