I know, professionally, of the benefits to older folks of inter-generational interactions, how wisdom is passed down and enthusiasm for life and continued engagement with what new days may bring gets passed up. Knowing and experiencing are decidedly different. Since my retirement coinciding with the isolation of Covid restrictions, my focus has been on replacing the constantly people-engaged experience of my working environment with a local social network, in order not to become unduly introverted. A simultaneous dip in health, two successive wildfires disrupting my living situation, and an excess of demands for daily survival have challenged me to feel enough energy for any more than what is immediately “in my face” to be done.
One of my intentions for retirement was to resume being regular about posting to this blog. I clearly have not succeeded in reestablishing a habit of regular writing. I have been aware of this lack, and even aware of missed opportunities, times of quiet where, instead of writing, I have played Free Cell (10,651 games to date with only 12 that I did not successfully complete), done hundreds of crosswords, run good long streaks of Wordle, and otherwise distracted myself. The pastimes are generally ones that can be thought “worthy” and beneficial for maintaining mental alertness – but nonetheless disruptions to the more meaningful goal of writing regularly.
Enter a young person, a quasi-grandniece studying at university in Manitoba who has begun a website to encourage and connect young people, especially African youth like herself. She sent me the link (www.DearDirii.com) and the first post I read was an energizing, thoughtful and educational essay on habits. Oriented as I am to recognizing when spirit, Inner Light, the Master, the cosmos, the ancestors, or whatever other language one uses to refer to that which is not physical or mental but is a real part of our experience is speaking directly to me, I “heard” the nudge to reestablish a pattern of regular posts. And I thank the young lady who is the source of that nudge for also reminding me of the benefit to me of interacting with younger people.
Now I probably will also have to catch up on the language, and slang, of internet and social media writers that I have avoided. A side benefit will be more types of crossword puzzles I can successfully complete.
Have a good inter-generational day.
1eclecticwriter 