As I was leaving the nursing home, a lady told me she was cold and I retrieved a blanket for her. She spoke very well but was confined to a wheel chair and I could not help but think that at some time she was an able bodied worker who contributed her knowledge of life to her fellow co workers.
In this country, we have discarded the older worker for the young, inexperienced college graduate, who also needs work. Is there a balance between the two whereby we in this country can have it all?
Proverbs 19:2…Desire without knowledge is not good, and one who moves too hurriedly misses the way. Do we wish for haste rather than the tried and true?
There have been so many layoffs in this country – the numbers are staggering – in the tens of thousands in many companies. Who are the first to go – I believe it is called early retirement. Would someone please tell me who will impart wisdom to the young when the young are now in charge?
Is the older worker responsible for a work ethic? You bet! More so than the young, as he or she has been at it longer and knows the ropes. As one nears retirement age, what is the impetus to keep the juices flowing PAST retirement and not coast? Is it related to the young worker who wishes to skip over the basics and be promoted? Undeniably yes is the answer to both inquiries. What is the answer?
Proverbs 21:5…. The plans of the diligent lead surely to abundance, but everyone who is hasty comes only to want. The older worker thoroughly committed is the diligent while the young worker is hasty, not learning the craft and relying on relationships and personality rather than really learning the nuts and bolts of the business. One day, we are all held accountable – are we ready to be examined?
Truth then becomes an attentive ear to everyone around realizing that we ALL have something to give. When did we, who are older, become obsolete? When did we no longer have something to offer? Was our behavior such that everyone KNEW we couldn’t wait to retire? Did those persons in charge still review our work at 50, even 60 and even meet with us to see how we could better ourselves, or was it just imagined that at retirement age we would do just that – R E T I R E. The world is full of people who retired, then died, literally and figureatively.
How can we stop this? I believe that there is a mindset in this country that in the quietness of the boardroom, we, who are older, are talked about in terms of: how much time does he have left, when is she gone, we will have to wait for them to retire before we can get rid of them…..and the list goes on. Did we in the places of power lose our servant mentality and say inwardly, perhaps outwardly, that certain people were no longer viable.
When did they not become viable and where was your heart on a daily basis at work?
Proverbs 10:17….Whoever heeds instruction is on the path to life, but one who rejects a rebuke goes astray. Young or old – smell the roses every day!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Now, that really is a discussion for another day.
Blessings.