"The Times They are A-Changin'" *

We have all heard it many times before: "The only constant is change." Nevertheless, change is not always easy. There is a comfort level to what we know, even if the known is difficult.

After many years of living I still find some changes annoying, hard or discombobulating. The word out there, however, is that reacting to change can sharpen the mind, especially  as one enters the senior years. "Keep learning new things, be it knitting, dancing, a foreign language or new computer skills."

Hello! I just received a wonderful gift....a brand new computer with all of the latest bells and whistles. It is beautiful and I certainly am enriching my vocabulary with many new swear words as I struggle to find my way through this maze of jargon.

Over my lifetime I have adjusted to television, Netflix, printers, computers, email and other helpful additions to a person's life. I have rejected others, such as cable TV, cell phones, call waiting and I Pads. I miss the peace that comes with too much "connectedness" and have chosen to opt out of some of the new inventions while choosing others that simplify my life.

In my heart-of-hearts, I still enjoy the old-fashioned radio shows, classical music, the old standards, popcorn in the movie theaters and the rare snail mails. Actually I miss receiving "thank you notes" of any kind. Too often this generation does not respond to gifts or acts of kindness even with an email or a phone call. Yes, things change and it is best to go along with them, but, if I do resist some, it is, for me, at least, a choice to simplify my world and ignore those gadgets that crowd out the best part of who I am.

*Note: Thank to Bob Dylan for his wonderful song.