OBSOLETE

Climbing up into my "truck" an old Dodge Durango a church member donated to the church and they graciously gave to me.  It has no AC/Heat, needed new tires immediately, sometime does not get into gear right away so am so grateful for people behind who don't rear end me, but the Lord has let it get me where I need to go and helped us out when we needed a car for one reason or another because we are a three car household with only two cars.  I thank the Lord for giving it, letting it start, letting me get where I am going and not letting anyone get hurt inside or out every time I get in it.  So far so good.

Anyway - it is a 1999 car so not exactly obsolete but close - but it wasn't that which made me think of obsolete it was my cassette player that the Lord made sure was in it when I got it since I am still listening to cassettes and watching VHS video movies hoping the dual player will continue to work and thanking Walmart for selling the CD/Cassette boombox still.

Living with my 17 year old granddaughter I am well aware of those things that are "obsolete" or even no even known by her generation.  We have discussions that really bring "obsolete" home to me in the different way the young people think these days.  So much of my values and my considerations of life and let's not even begin to go to memory lane - well to her - it is defintely obsolete.  Webster's Dictionary (even that could be considered obsolete - well at least the old one we never lived without and always had handy on the shelf - never out of reach - says obsolete means "no longer used because something newer exists : replaced by something newer : no longer used by anyone".

Really I am tearing up to think of so many wonderful things and experiences of my past that my dear grand angel would consider OBSOLETE.  A pay phone  - I was wanting one just the other day to call one of these funny "money" letters I get all the time just to see what they might actually say.  I am too paranoid to use my cell phone for fear they may be able to find out who I actually am or whatever they may want to know about me - but if I called from a pay phone what would they know from the number - NOTHING - sits at corner of or out in front of Walmart - well I wish there was a pay phone anywhere at all.  So far haven't found one yet - obsolete.

Three young but very smart people on Jeopardy - who seem to know a bunch of stuff - were shown a picture of Gregory Peck and hadn't a clue who it was.  I was trying to explain that we had an even better experience than an IMAX theatre with what began as Todd-AO which then became Panavision 70.  I was trying to help her visualize how we literally were in the midst of the chariots as they came rushing around corners in Ben Hur and almost were as afraid as the Israelites as the Red Sea water rose up on each side as we slowly walked across.  Both by daughter and my granddaughter refuse to believe that it could have been any better than IMAX.  I am really wondering why that had to become OBSOLETE when they turn right around make something not quite as spectacular.

There are so many this could go on forever and already has - so am not even going to go to my feelings about us "old" folks.  I mean we can never be "replaced" per se.  It will never be that sad, but the most moving article I ever read on old age was about how we are "invisible" and if - like me - I did turn a few heads in my younger days - it is very noticeable that I certainly don't anymore.  I do want to say and applaud those young people or any age people who do notice or still have that chivalrous (bet that word is obsolete to many young people too) spirit and they will open a door or offer to lean down and pick something up for me.  I truly do appreciate it, but in an over all view, and for all those who sit alone in their assisted living homes, we truly can be invisible but hopefully we will never be OBSOLETE!