Perspective changes over
time. The view I had of the world as a
child, as an adult and now in retirement has changed. True, there are some basic core beliefs that
have remained unchanged, but time does sand the wood block of our minds. If I divide my life into the rough three period
of under twenty, twenty to fifty-five and over fifty-five, there are defining
events that dictate the overriding perspective I held at each period. The first period was growing up. In the second period I was an adult getting
married, raising children, pursuing a career.
In the third period change is taking place once again. The kids are gone, off establishing their own
lives, and I have retired into writing.
So how do some simple concepts
look through the same pair of eyes from each of these three different
perspectives of time and age? Take a
home. As a child we lived in the same
place all my growing up years. It was
the base. It was just there, and I
didn’t question it. As an adult it was
up to my wife and me to make it
happen. We lived in two apartments and
two houses. What has been common with my
youth is to keep it as a base. But now
in the third stage, I have a different perspective about our home. After thinking we would never leave Boulder,
Colorado, we moved last June to Lakewood, California to help with child care
for our grandson born in June.
School is another activity that
I’ve had very different perspectives on during the three stages. In stage one I was attending. It was something I was expected to do and
did. It was the center of my life except
when escaping during the summer. It was
my job. On the whole I enjoyed
school. It was the focal point for
achievement and preparation for the future.
In stage two school became where
my children lived. I went to teacher
conferences, plays, concerts and sporting events there. I helped out periodically. Then I got into teaching at the University of
Colorado. This was a chance to give back
and also learn from the students. School
in this stage was something I either observed or conducted.
In stage three I went back to
school taking a fiction writing class for two semesters. The University of Colorado let’s residents
audit courses for free if they are over fifty-five and get the instructor’s permission. I enjoyed being back and learning and this helped
launch my writing career. So elements of my perspective have changed over
time as I’ve developed more life experience to play upon, but there remains the
continuity of essential core values.
