Lately my mind takes road trips to the seasons of my youth. Sometimes I long for my “good old days ” filled with endless possibility. A time when many of life’s big decisions had not been made.
When I was seventeen, I hung out with other like-minded souls who thought it was up to us to change the world. I wanted to join the Peace Corps and make a difference.
Of course I listened to the popular songs of the time. I fell in love with the sounds of The Beatles, The Who, and Buffalo Springfield among others. Rock music energized me and fueled my day. Now, when I hear the music of my youth, I’m drawn into a world of nostalgia.
I remember late-night gatherings with friends which usually included music. We would sit around a “record player” and play the latest release of our favorite artists. The lyrics often appeared somewhere on the album cover. We passed the lyrics around and sang along to the tunes. Like many “boomers,” I reflect fondly upon those times.
But were the “good old days” really that good? In comparison, what makes me think the present is bad? There is a verse in Ecclesiastes which speaks to this:
“Say not, ‘Why were the former days better than these?’ For it is not from wisdom that you ask this.”
Eccl. 7:10
I’ve heard myself say, “Things are so different now, I miss the seventies.” What do I mean exactly? Do I miss the days when I was poorer? Days when I was immature? Days when I made some wrong choices? Every decade has its own set of social problems. And it was the problems of those years which inspired the music of my generation.
The author of Ecclesiastes, (Solomon) knew speaking this way is not wise and can lead to discontent with the present. Seniors risk the danger of viewing the current culture through a negative lens. As we age we can become gloomy and withdraw from the world around us.
With my head stuck in the past, I miss all the beauty of today. This morning a ding from my phone indicates a text from my son. I smile as I watch a video of my one-year-old granddaughter dancing with bubbles. Her enthusiasm about this new discovery fills me with joy. Then I realize life in the year 2024 isn’t so bad after all. In the seventies I didn’t have a son, a granddaughter, or an iphone!
Remember the song, “Turn Turn Turn?”
“To everything, turn turn turn. There is a season, turn turn turn.
And a time for every purpose under heaven.”
These words originated with Solomon in Ecclesiastes, chapter 3. They were put to music thousands of years later by Pete Seeger and eventually recorded by the Byrds. I wonder what Solomon would think if he knew his wisdom, and words, outlasted the test of time?
I’m glad I have good memories of the past, but NOW IS THE TIME to make even better memories with my children and grandchildren.
How about you? Leave a comment and let me know if you can relate to my post. Let’s talk.
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