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January
Find an Ear to Bend
Find a buddy, a pal, a friend, someone to talk to,
play with, to keep from being lonely, and someone
to tell your troubles to … when you cry
‘Help!’ They are there, it can be another
guy for guys, another gal for gals, but seniors
have a lot of experience so mixing the sexes
doesn’t complicate things. Having an ear to
bend in troubles times is the key objective.
A buddy is defined as a ‘companion, a
partner, a close friend, or used to address someone
you don’t know’ … this last one is
not the definition we are looking for. A friend is
defined as ‘a person who you like and enjoy
being with, a person who helps or supports someone
or something,’ this is what we are looking for
as an ear to bend in troubled or lonely times.
“Don't walk behind me; I may not lead. Don't
walk in front of me; I may not follow. Just walk
beside me and be my friend,” said the
writer/philosopher Albert Camus. That’s what
most seniors are looking for.
Sometimes loneliness is a flashing negative to
retired seniors, what once was, is not there
anymore. The old allies from the workplace
aren’t there any longer, and the family
members, if there are any, have probably moved to
other parts of the planet .Cooking food for one,
going to movies alone, and talking to the walls
with no answers coming back, it gets pretty old
after a while. “What should young people do
with their lives today? Many things, obviously, but
the most daring thing is to create stable
communities in which the terrible disease of
loneliness can be cured,” said Kurt Vonnegut,
and this same thought can be aimed at seniors.
There are groups and communities out there that can
solve this seclusion sensation, the plan is to find
one and join in.
These groups are all over town and one
shouldn’t be limited to those listed in the
phone book or advertised on TV. There are small and
more personal groups that congregate everywhere and
come in many forms and features and qualifications:
churches, bars, and fraternity clubs like the Elks,
Eagles, Shriners, and the Knights of Columbus,
bridge clubs, golf clubs (woods and irons accepted)
and weekly bingo and poker games. The list goes on
and the choices are there to be had and enjoyed.
Getting into a group is probably the easiest
part. Being part of the group is a little harder.
The key here is becoming part of the conversations.
“My idea of good company is the company of
clever, well-informed people who have a great deal
of conversation; that is what I call good
company,” said Jane Austen. And part of
conversation is listening, opening your ears and
mind to those around you, to what the others are
saying in that good company, and trying to be a
significant part of it. If you are a part of that
group then it is easier to exchange ideas and maybe
find a few ears to bend about your troubles and
maybe some good advice will bounce back.
“Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful,
committed citizens can change the world; indeed,
it’s the only thing that ever has,”
Margaret Mead, and that world can be your world of
problems if you are listening to the mouth on that
bent ear.
©2014, Patrick
Kennedy
* * *
Man arrives as a novice at each age of his life.
- Nicolas Chamfort
Patrick
M. Kennedy (P Manvel Kennedy) has been a
professional writer, editor, and graphic artist for
over 30 years. He is the author of three books:
More
Fun with Retirement: A coffee break for
seniors,
How
to Have Fun with
Retirement, and
Being
a Senior Citizen: You rnew phase of life with
many questions looking for
answers. and his
latest book: More Fun with Retirement: A
coffee break for seniors. He currently works from
Boise, Idaho. In the past he has worked from
Seattle, Indianapolis, and Las Vegas. He keeps busy
because he knows it is important when writing or
editing any material with a particular objective in
mind, for either personal use or business goals, to
present ideas with quality, clarity and accuracy.
He can do that, and he does most of it himself, but
he occasionally must call upon qualified associates
for assistance.
"My Resume shows me as an
experienced professional writer and editor who
specializes in the English language. With years of
professional experience in the
writing/editing/graphics field, I offer quality
services to both individual and business clients,
with prompt and accurate solutions designed to meet
their needs, and online editing services and
writing services for easy and quick results.
www.abetterword.com
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