How Not to Look Old – Part 1

How Not to Look Old is the title of one of the stacked books in my blog’s new feature photo.  I updated my original featured photo of journals and calendars, to a random variety of colorful books.  I took the picture around the time of our vacation so some of the books came fresh from my beach bag.  I keep other titles in the stack out for easy accessibility.

I found the book How Not to Look Old at the library a few years ago and liked it enough to buy my own copy.  The author, Charla Krupp, intended to help forty-somethings stay young looking, so I have missed that window of opportunity, but the book gathers many helpful fashion, make-up, hair, and other beauty tips from experts. I’ll take all the help I can get in these areas, though Krupp would categorize me in the “low to medium” maintenance group.  In other words, I am not the type to take extreme or expensive measures to restore my youthfulness.

I ponder aging, my own growing older.  I see and feel it every day, but my age and an awareness of my generation became acutely obvious to me when I returned to my career after being home to raise our kids.  Maybe all fields are like this, but education particularly draws a young crowd.  Many of my colleagues were recent graduates and brand-new teachers.  I recall sitting in work meetings, realizing I was probably the oldest participant at the table.

Teaching has become very collaborative:  lesson planning, classroom procedure and really everything is developed in teams.  As I partnered with so many who were even younger than my own kids, I understood that I needed an honest approach.  I was the ‘mature’ voice at the table.  I did not have all the right answers, but I had decades of experience as a teacher and a parent to contribute.  I leaned into that role as an older faculty member. I welcomed the excitement, creativity, and perspective of the newest educators.  I got a firsthand view of millennial thinking and lifestyle.  I limped behind their technology expertise but gained a few fun fashion tips along the way.  At times, the blend was uncomfortable, but we took it all in stride and we produced strong instruction together.

The Bible talks about being the older generation.  In ancient times, the elderly were revered; their voice at the table, albeit thinning, was respected and heard.  With that kind of platform, God instructed them to tell their stories of God’s faithfulness to the next generation, to share all the remarkable things He had done in their lives and in the generations before them.  Yes, it was an oral history to pass down, but it was also a legacy of personal faith to be shared.  Though outlooks may shift, God’s Word says, “One generation commends your works to another; they tell of your mighty acts.  They speak of the glorious splendor of your majesty.  … They tell of the power of your awesome works. … They celebrate your abundant goodness … “  (Psalms 145: 4-7)  We are called to boast on God this way.  It takes creativity and courage which we have since “He who called you is faithful.” (1 Thessalonians 5:24)

Author: Brenda Proulx

Wife, mother and grandmother, educator and someone who thinks about the things I observe. I am the daughter of a writer; my dad's career was in the field of journalism. More significantly, I am God's child, a person believing in Jesus Christ and in His timeless Word. Blogging is new to me but I feel like I've always had a pen in my hand. I jot notes in my planner, mark papers, underline verses, write many letters, and occasionally draft articles for work or church. When I am not holding a pen, I am probably cuddling a mug of coffee. View all posts by Brenda Proulx