In Forum this morning we were asked to remember what historical event, in our lifetimes, impacted us. The ages in the room varied from the 30s to the 90s.I remembered, of course, exactly what I was doing when President Kennedy was shot. The 30 somethings, of course, had not been born.
I remember the 1963 Cuban Embargo. We were living in Fort Lauderdale and everybody was scared to death and lots of folks were arming themselves. We determined then how we wanted to live with this threat. I've lived with this value system ever since.
I lives through the other assassinations, the Civil Rights Act, birth control, Watergate, and so much more. All of this shaped me as a person.
Much younger adults, the ones who are now running things, come from a much different background. Technology has always ruled their world.
No wonder it's hard to relate and we frustrate each other sometimes.
Over the holidays I was in Chicago having breakfast with Dave and some of his family. When it was time for me to get to the airport I asked Dave's daughter-in-law if she would call Uber for me. She did. A driver pulled up within five minutes. I jumped in and, after a few minutes, I asked the driver how he was to be paid - cash or card.
He explained how Uber worked. No money involved in the car. The ride was charged to Dave's daughter-in-law's account.
I, of course, was embarrassed by that. But it's indicative of how hard it is for most of us "Oldest Generation" to keep up.
What I came away with after our Forum discussion this morning is that we have much to learn from each other.
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