Being Relevant

When I was a pious 25-year-old who was going to change the world because no one else knew how, I had a job at a dress shop. It was a beautiful store situated in an old home with at least three floors. It had rickety stairs and was crammed with ballgowns and wedding dresses.

Daily, I was served a plate of humility as a 70-year-old widow with the toes cut out of the end of her shoes smoked me in sales. This sassy human being would climb up them narrow stairs, load her arms and shoulders with dresses and haul them back down to a dressing room. She was intimidating! That lady had a way of flattery and words that were unbelievable. She was catty and backstabbing but man she knew how to stay relevant! They would never fire her.

Following a CAT-5 hurricane barreling into our town, my 72-year-old dad was out swinging a sledgehammer and ax like nobody's business. He was repairing fences and other miscellaneous temporary fixes. Impressive! In his spare time he was making coffee and cooking meat on the grill to feed us all and keep the meat from spoiling since we didn't have electric. Relevance.

These are two great examples of how to stay in the fight of life as we age. Since I've let my hair grown out white, people treat me differently. Literally like I'm dumb, irrelevant, and elderly. It's been a daily struggle. But I have learned a couple of things to pass on.

First, don't count yourself out just because they do. When you were young did you let others dictate your limitations? If not, then don't start now. Second, know what you're bringing to the table. Age is time. The more time in life we have the more experience and wisdom we have to offer. Third, don't let the critics in your head. They're just young, pious, know-it-alls like we were at their age.

I'm only in my fifties and the way I see it I can be relevant as long as I have a fully functioning brain. And I plan on using it :-) Let's show 'em what we're made of!