It’s funny how things change with age.
When steaks, cheeses, wines, and such, age, they’re supposed to be really good.
With age, people may become wiser and, perhaps, more patient, more understanding. Their perspectives on various things in life may evolve. Like, for instance, when they’re feeling as giddy hearing their dentist praising them for good dental hygiene, as when they were back in school, getting praise from teachers for good grades.
And with age, you’re sometimes harkening back to old expressions – old ways of saying things. I caught myself, the other day, when I was watching our nation’s women’s gymnastics teaming struggling, a bit, saying ‘maybe they’re not up to snuff.’ Where did that come from?
I’ve written about an old car of ours, and I’ve been thinking, lately, about an old screen door that’s got character. It’s quirky and clunky. The handle, with a button you’ve got to push to open and close it, sticks, at times, and the old door creaks, too, every once in a while. But it’s a good, old door that’s held up for a lot of years.
You can’t always say that about some things.
Just as I was wondering where to go with this article, in the background, on TV, I could hear testimony during the first Congressional hearing on the January 6th Capitol attack. And hearing two words, ‘self-governance,’ I knew exactly where I’d be heading.
It was Congressman Adam Kinzinger saying “self-governance is at stake,” that got me thinking about that quirky, clunky screen door of ours, that’s not perfect, but has held up for a long time, and hopefully will continue to do so. Because, as the old saying goes: ‘They just don’t make them like that, anymore’… old screen doors, self-governance, freedom and democracy.
Forgive me for getting syrupy, but old things just get to me.
Harvey Radin is former senior vice president in charge of corporate communications and media relations, Bank of America Western Region. He makes his home in Redwood City, CA.