These are days of rapid and amazing change. Drones in the skies. Microcomputers in our pockets. The private sector in space. Social media in revolutions. There are brand new ways of looking at and living in the world, many of which are very beneficial.
But there can be times when we need to go back to the way it used to be. I was reminded of this not long ago by a request from my daughter.
Recently, one of my adult daughters asked if I would make her some Chex® mix. I told her, “Sure I would be glad to.” I had barely gotten the words out of my mouth when she said, “BUT…I want you to make it like you did when we were little.” This daughter…who uses all the latest technology and has all the latest products for raising her children…this daughter didn’t want me to make Chex® mix the quick and easy way. She wanted the Chex® mix my mother used to make when I was a little boy. She wanted the Chex® mix I used to make her when she was a little girl. She wanted the Chex® mix that takes two hours in the oven, as opposed to the Chex® mix that takes only 20 minutes in the microwave. She wanted it the way it used to be.
Well I told her, “Forget it! I’m not going to do that!” Just kidding. Of course I told her I would do that. But it did leave me wondering why this modern day woman wanted something that hearken back to the 1950s. Was it just nostalgia for her, or was is it important to her to keep some things from the past alive in the present? The answer is probably both, but it made me realize that it is important to keep some thing from the past alive in the present.
I’m not suggesting we should all go back to using wall mounted rotary phones the size of blenders, but I do think that we can be so quick to adopt that which is new and improved that we unknowingly let go of things that might be old and beneficial.
Case point… We have been quick to adopt new technology that helps us get more things done in less amount of time. Consequently we are far more productive than we used to be.
But in doing so, we have unintentionally let go of older things that are beneficial. Things like…
- Time to think.
- The joy of being with people for no particular reason.
- The ability to drink in nature every day…not just when we’re on vacation.
- The importance of building memories, over building assets.
Again, I’m not suggesting we all go back to watching a snowy black-and-white TV that only gets three channels, but there are times when we need to close the door on the microwave and go back to Chex mix the way it used to be…even if it takes two hours.
What is something old that you need to hang onto in this present day. Maybe it’s a character trait, a way of doing things, a rule of thumb, or a value. Whatever it is, don’t let it slip away. Hold onto it. Keep it alive. Pass it on to the next generation. You will be better for it. They will be better for it. The world will be better for it.
On another level…
The need to go back to the way it used to be (at least on some things) is not just a modern day need. It’s been a need going back as far as the Old Testament. Listen to the words of Jeremiah 6:16…
“This what the LORD says: Stop at the crossroads and look around. Ask for the old, godly way and walk in it. Travel its path, and you will find rest for your souls…” (Jeremiah 6:16 NLT)
Though they are ancient, you would be surprise at how relevant God’s instructions are today.
Is there some area of life in which you need to go back to the way it used to be? Is there something old that you need to bring into your present life? Leave a comment and share the wisdom.
Copyright © 2014 Bret Legg
I am finally starting to grasp the idea that I need to return to taking a moment or two during the day to just breathe and think about what I need and not just the needs of my family. I easily get lost in that. I also want to go back to a time where I was not so easily distracted and addicted to phones, internet, or any other electronic devices. I played board games with my sons the other day when I was down with a cold. I gave myself permission to take it easy and just rest. In that time I spent quality time with my boys. We all ended the day on a happy and content note.
It also occurred to me as I was reading this that there are a lot of areas in my life I need to leave behind. I do not want to go back to the way things used to be. I want to embrace growth emotionally and spiritually and continue to move forward.
I can relate to wanting to go back to a time in which I was a little more un-tethered to my electronics. Pick one target and shoot at it for a while. Build slow.