Resisting Change, Embracing Change

When I was a young boy we had a peach tree in our back yard. The tree was getting old and not producing like it did in the years past. My father decided to have the tree dug out and hired a man to remove the tree. I was about nine or ten years old and resented having the tree destroyed. The man with pick and shovel commenced the digging. I gathered up a pile of rocks from a dirt alley that was next to our house. I then, voicing my anger, threw the rocks at the man. I can’t remember how the man reacted to being bombarded with rocks but I soon learned from my father that my actions were inappropriate and would not be tolerated. I was spanked, the tree was removed, and the man was paid for his efforts. End of story.

I was dragged screaming and fighting into the 21st century. I’m one of those individuals who really doesn’t fight against change. I don’t always see the need for things to be different. If I hadn’t got married to an energetic young women who likes things nice I would probably still be living in a log cabin with dirt floors. Because of my resistance change did not occur rapidly. Only after years of effort was my wife able to convince me that we needed carpet, an air conditioner, and an electronic garage door opener. When my wife was not interested in change my children rose to the occasion, and although I didn’t embrace change I did accept it. For example, I never had to embrace the computer at work because my secretary was well trained in using modern technology. When I retired my children thought I should have a computer. Heather and Ken Anderson gave me one of their old computers….the kids made sure I was hooked up to the internet and low and behold, I was pulled into the 21st century. A number of my children are well versed in high tech things and I frequently call on them for help. I often wonder whether or not they feel they should have left me in the 20th century.