Trapped In The Margins

The digital era has left me feeling old before my time. I find myself nostalgic for a “simpler time.” This is ludicrous for someone who is only twenty two years old. As Drake said, “I’m really too young to be feeling this old.” I should not be craving the simplicity of my childhood simply because life is moving too fast for me to handle. I would have attributed this affliction to ’90s kids or millennials in general. However, it’s not limited to us.

I have been working with the elderly for almost three years. I have seen how they talk about the past. They lived through the Depression, WWII, the Civil Rights Movement, etc. They lived through tremendous conflicts and poverty. Yet, they all have fond memories of their childhood and say that things were easier when they were children. They used to play on the streets, go out with their friends in groups, gossip, play sports outside, go to the movies, go shopping, and gather around the television (if they had one or hang out at the house that had a television). This doesn’t sound too different from my childhood with some obvious differences aside.

I cannot imagine living through the Depression. I have never known extreme poverty. Yes, things have changed. Things will always change. Nothing will stay the same forever. Things rise and fall faster than they ever had throughout history. This rapid succession gives me a headache. However, it’s time that I adapt to the ever changing times lest I be left behind.