This work is about “We are a bridge,” It was distributed online and was credited to “Richard, 74.” I don’t know who wrote it first, but the words have a sign of experience.
“My name is Richard. I’m 74 years old. I think our generation is a bridge between two worlds. One is made of dirt roads and handwritten letters, and the other is made of pocket satellites and screens.
“I was born in the house without air conditioning. Summer meant open windows and box fan ham. We knew our neighbor by name. If your bike chain broke, we knocked on the door until someone found a wrench.
“The world then skyrocketed. The phones shrunk, the music was out of sight, and the news didn’t take a few days to reach us. We arrived in the palm of our hand before we finished breakfast. We learned to type, swipe and tap. We learned to talk to the machines and talk.
“We’ve seen milk being delivered to the glass bottle door, and we scanned the groceries without a cashier. We dropped coins on our paychild and made a video call to the ocean. We know the sound of silence.
“Sometimes, young people think we are behind. But here’s what I know. Our generation knows both worlds. We can plant tomatoes and write emails. We can tell the story without Google, and we can check it out with facts.
“We are proof that you can change without losing yourself. We are proof that you can respect where you came from while learning where the world is going. We buried our friends and welcomed our grandchildren. We had our illnesses gone, and a new illness has arrived.
“And that might be our real gift. We have the memory of a slower, quieter world and the skills to navigate fast and loud things. We can teach young people that everything doesn’t have to happen soon… and remind them that it’s never too late to try something new.
“We are a bridge. The central chapter.
Notes and reading
Awakening – Theodore Rosuke, Collected poems. Understanding is manifested in actions that involve uncertainty.
Otherwise – Jane Kenyon, Collected poems. Ordinary blessings have been keen by the perception that “that might have been the case otherwise.”
How to Become a Poet (Reminisce of Yourself) – Wendelberry, Selected poems. Be careful, patient and maintain joy for everyone you know.
Approx. 2 + 2 = 5
Source: 2 + 2 = 5 – williamgreen.substack.com
