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Jewish World Review Jan. 7, 2002 / 23 Teves 5762

Dayle A. Shockley

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Consumer Reports

Let's all celebrate the old

http://www.NewsAndOpinion.com -- IT is that time of year when everyone talks about turning over a new leaf. The possibilities are endless. Get on a diet and stick to it. Start working out and mean business. Set aside money for a rainy day. Spend more time with your family. Carve out a few hours for yourself. Do more for others. Write letters to loved ones. Learn a new skill. Make a new friend. Sign up for a college class. Paint the bathroom.

I hate to sound disagreeable, but I have decided not to participate in any newfangled ideas this year. Maybe my age is showing, but these days I am finding more and more comfort in the "oldness" of things.

With that in mind, I jotted down a few old things that I plan to celebrate in the new year:

Old shoes - They may not look debonair, but they feel good. Instead of pinching that pesky corn on your little toe or squeezing the bunion on your right foot, old shoes have made the necessary adjustments - like lifting a bit here or stretching a bit there - to make sure your aging feet have little to complain about.

Old folks - We live in a society where young people are put on a pedestal and old folks are forgotten. But if you want to draw from a well of knowledge and wisdom, inquire of the elderly. Not only do their stories entertain, but their advice can keep you from making mistakes of your own and help steer you in the right direction.

Old pets - Our beloved collie soon will be 12. She has an assortment of health ailments, but I wouldn't trade her knowing eyes and faithful guard for a dozen fresh puppies.

Old friends - There is nothing wrong with new friends, but old friends who have a shared history with me - partaking in my sorrows and my joys, remaining steadfast when trouble comes knocking, and loving me in spite of my quirkiness - are the ones I will celebrate most in the new year.

Old garments - I enjoy a new outfit as much as the next person, but don't take away my old bathrobe, my old pajamas, or that old T-shirt that feels as soft as a cloud.

Old stuff - Old books, old quilts, old photographs, old cards, old letters, old recipes, old rocking chairs, and old dolls. Old songs, old singers, old soldiers, old cities, old landmarks, and old neighbors.

Old husbands - G-d willing, my husband and I will celebrate our 22nd anniversary this year. I can't imagine growing old with anyone else.

Old truths - There never is a shortage of new philosophies. What we need is a revival of the old truths that this country was built on. Truths like: "G-d is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble. Therefore will not we fear, though the earth be removed, and though the mountains be carried into the midst of the sea" (Psalm 46:1-2). Or truths like: "Honor thy father and thy mother, that thy days may be prolonged" (Deuteronomy 5:16).

Or truths like those found in the stirring words of our revered president Abraham Lincoln: "It is the duty of nations, as well as of men, to own their dependence upon the overruling power of G-d and to recognize the sublime truth announced in the Holy Scriptures and proven by all history, that those nations only are blessed whose G-d is the L-rd."

Old Glory - Since Sept. 11, an American flag has flown in my front yard, reminding me that freedom isn't free and never has been. Every time I see it waving in the breeze, I recall the words that John Quincy Adams penned for future generations: "Posterity - you will never know how much it has cost my generation to preserve your freedom. I hope you will make good use of it."

Maybe next January, I will be in the mood to turn over a new leaf, tackle a new project, or celebrate a new trend. But for now, I am perfectly content with the old.

JWR contributing columnist Dayle Allen Shockley is a Texas-based author. To comment on this column, please click here.


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© 2002, Dayle Allen Shockley