The times are constantly a changin’. And there’s not a whole lot we can do about it
“Cha-cha-cha-cha-cha changes. Turn and face the strange.”
Singer David Bowie
Advice from a singer is not usually on my playlist.
I’ve never been able to avoid change, though God knows I have tried.
One of the big hassles we had in taking care of aging parents was their refusal to change. Sometimes this is the result of some disease but it also could be a conscious decision.
“I don’t know why they have to go changing things,” I heard at least a thousand times while we were trying to introduce cell phones, new banking methods or microwaves. And this from people who had lamented how hard it had been to get their relatives to change and swore not to be the same.
Now I find myself in the same place. No matter how much I lament constant change, if I want it to be easier on my caretakers-to-be I will need to shut my mouth and go along. So when my children give me new things to use I have to use them.
I see this nearly everyday when I am struggling to make my iPhone work or when I have to learn to use a computer notebook so my granddaughter can watch Elmo videos My kids had to watch Sesame Street on television and then only when the show actually was on.
New stuff always brings a learning curve but so far it hasn’t been insurmountable. Our electronic picture frame continually shows pictures which we wouldn’t see much if we had to drag out photo albums and go through them.
My older relatives griped continually over having to learn to use a microwave but rapidly grew dependent on it. The walk-in bathtub caused all kinds of hell but soon they were bragging on it.
Why couldn’t we have skipped the temper tantrums and screaming and gone right to the let’s learn to get along with this phase? It would have been so much more pleasant and less nerve wracking Unfortunately, I remember that and I have to try to avoid doing it myself when I am faced with unexpected change.
Like when the new automatic cat litter box showed up on the porch. Luckily, my wife could set it up. She has the mechanical aptitude that I lack. And it seems to work and the cats use it.
How will we all do in the future?
So much more looms in the future. I can still drive, even if erratically, but hiring rides can’t be too far away.
Eventually I will need to have help to take care of multiple medical difficulties. We all will. Hopefully I can accept it without being such a pain people dread being around me. There are no guarantees, but as long as I can keep my memory, I have plenty of bad examples to learn from.
Shut up and take what help you are offered even if it means changing. Like I said, easy to say now but how will we all do in the future?