The Rub With Old People

You can teach an old dog new tricks, it’s just harder. But why? Why is it harder? Are older folks incapable of learning? Of course not. I be old, and I still getting smarter. So what else? Maybe age has a way of hard wiring your brain into certain patterns of thought? As Dr. Kathleen Taylor from St. Mary’s College in California states, “…continued brain development and a richer form of learning may require that you bump up against people and ideas that are different.” Okay. Let’s rub up against a few different ideas and people from the news this week. The different idea: Starbucks is anti-Christian because its cups are a different shade of red, and the tree print is no longer there. The different person: Donald Trump is the GOP’s leading candidate for the presidency OF THE UNITED STATES. Let’s see…uh…nope. No continued brain development here. In fact, I think I’m less developed now. While I could write plenty on each of those ridiculous statements, I’ll summarize both with one word: A sad state of affairs. But there’s hope for us all in a new segment I’m calling:

My Kids are Smarter than Me:
This week’s edition comes from Charles Henry, age 7, a Leo from Nashville, TN. (The fact that he’s a Leo has about as much relevance to this story – or to anything for that matter- as a red cup has to Christianity. But I digress.) Upon returning from the store, his mom asked him to help put up the groceries. Charles Henry was given eight rolls of toilet paper, with instructions to put two rolls in each bathroom. He paused momentarily, then asked, “Mom…can I have one for the woods?” Mom was stunned. Dad was beaming with pride! He’s making a plan. His experience with such matters made quite an impression on him, apparently, and drove him to action. As the old saying goes, “Soil me once, shame on food. Soil me twice, shame on me.” Okay, maybe no one says that. But here’s the point: He’s been caught once; he won’t be caught again. Quick learner. So why can’t adults be quick learners? As the aforementioned research would suggest, we’ve obviously been rubbing up against the wrong ideas and people.

So let’s try a different idea or two:

You don’t all of the sudden find yourself in large amounts of debt. Well, you might, but you shouldn’t. It doesn’t happen overnight. You’ve made the decision, lots of times, apparently, to pay later for something you want now. Debt is like aging. Left unchecked, it’s going to hurt.

It’s okay not to always have what you want. I know that hurts, but wouldn’t you rather go to bed wanting than owing? Don’t let income drive your spending. And don’t habitually spend more than you have. Create breathing room between what you earn and what you spend. It’s called margin. Life is better with it.

How about a different person:

You. Young or old, you can change. While you may have deeply rutted paths in your synapses – blah blah blah – behaviors can change. “You don’t get it,” you say. ”My situation’s different.” Nope. It’s not. All of us have limited amounts of time, talents and resources. And with those limits, comes the responsibility to manage them. And while you don’t have to go it alone, you do have to take the first step. Rub up against someone who’s qualified to help and just ask.

It starts with a question. Charles Henry knew his. What’s yours? Call us. We can help.