AGING ICON

Embracing the Old While Welcoming the New

In our frenetic, tech-driven world, it’s easy to dismiss certain things as outdated, such as landlines, handwritten letters, and yes, even people with grey hair and wrinkles.

But sometimes, what seems old-fashioned isn’t just relevant, it’s invaluable.

Take landlines, for example. After 9/11, when cell towers failed, landlines were the lifeline. People lined up at phone booths in NYC’s Financial District to check on loved ones because wired lines were the only reliable communication.

In an emergency, they remain a critical safety net, yet today, many see landlines as relics of the past, forgetting their role as a dependable backup. Phone booths are considered a thing to mock!

So, what else we dismiss too quickly, assuming it’s obsolete? Here are two that came to mind immediately:

Paper Maps

Who uses paper maps anymore, right? With GPS on our phones, it seems like paper maps belong in history books. But imagine being on a remote road trip with no cell signal or trying to navigate a city when your phone dies.

Paper maps don’t crash, and they never run out of battery, plus they give you the big picture something step-by-step navigation apps often lack.

Paper maps teach us to read and orient ourselves in the world, skills that have become surprisingly rare. They’re not just useful, I think they’re empowering.

Handwritten Notes

In the era of emails and texts, handwritten notes feel like a lost art. But think about the last time you received one, whether it was a thank-you card from a friend or business contact, or a note just to say hello. Didn’t it feel different? More personal, and perhaps even more important.

Handwritten notes create connection in a way that pixels on a screen simply can’t. They’re tactile, thoughtful, and meaningful. They show someone took the time, and in a world of instant everything, that effort stands out.

Many of us save meaningful handwritten notes and cards, and even put them up on a bulletin board to look at when we need a lift.

But let’s flip our focus to people.

Too often, society writes off those with grey hair, an unsteady gait, and wrinkles, dismissing their value as “irrelevant.”

But those “older people” are walking libraries of wisdom, resilience, and perspective.

They’ve lived through disasters, adapted to change, and often embrace both the old and new with remarkable grace.

Their stories, knowledge, and experiences remind us that not everything or everyone needs to be replaced by something shiny and new.

There’s value in keeping a foot in the past while we step into the future. Of course we should embrace
innovation. But let’s also remember the value of what came before.

Landlines, paper maps, and handwritten notes retain their value, and all serve as reminders that some “old” things are worth holding onto, and so are the people who remind us of these things.

We should appreciate and remember the past while we innovate for the future. Because sometimes, what we think is obsolete is actually what we need most.

December 19, 2024 Posted by Aging Icon | Uncategorized | Leave a comment