Old and mean. Grumpy old man, crabby old lady? Ever know one? For me it was Old Man Pingle. We would play baseball in the vacant lot and if our ball would go in his yard, he would keep it. Now it did not go in his garden simply his yard. For the life of me I have no idea why he was so crabby and mean. So I got to wondering what drives a person to get both old and mean. It is inevitable that we will become older if we keep breathing year after year. But mean? What on earth causes such pain that makes a person so angry, bitter and mean? Life is a journey on which it is impossible to go with out some hard times, you will have them. You can not move through life with out hitting a few rough spots. These times will leave you bitter or better. When I was younger I spent a lot of time making fun of old man Pingle, now I feel sorry for him. He must have had a lot of pain to deal with. I don’t think any one wants to grow older and/or grow meaner. I hope I soften with age and not harden, I hope I grow more gracious and better, rather than grow bitter. I hope I love more than I hate.
3 comments:
MSN:
You make some interesting points about being bitter vs. softening with age.
My take on it is...much of a person's aging has to do with who and what surrounds them AS they age (including all those bumps in life's road).
For example, in *my* neighborhood, we have some of he worst dregs of society you can offer up.
To me, it's about being a good steward of and protecting MY property, making sure what's mine doesn't become THEIRS.
THAT is "job one".
And I don't think I'm bitter as much as frustrated with the lack of self-control and apathy these people display.
I used to believe that "grumpy old men" were just that...no reason, just grumpy. But given the way society changes (not always for the better), it makes ME realize that maybe that grumpy old man was onto something...or perhaps ahead of his time.
We just didn't know HIS reason.
In other words...I can (now) relate.
Converesely, should I be lucky enough to live in a neighborhood like the one I grew up in, my demeanor would be considerably more "mellow".
It's not so much "nurture" as it is "nature", I guess, if one were to attribute any "fault" as to being mean and/or grumpy.
I'm only mean/grumpy to those that cannot show a modicum of respect and decency towards me and mine...period.
Otherwise, I'd like to think I'm still enough of a bit on the happy-go-lucky side to make life worthwhile.
But that's just *me*.
:)
I sure was a crabby old lady one day.That is not my nature, but I could not help it.I have a high wooden fence around my backyard,and a patio built outside my kitchen door.My son put in a fish pond for me right off my patio which I really enjoy.well, I came home one day and found more than a dozen broken water ballons in my pond and in my flower garden.Next door to me the boys have a trampoleen{I know I did not spell it correct,but you know what I mean}and they would jump up and down and try snd hit my fish pond.Well, they did most of the time, and when they missed they hit my flower garden.Did I have a good reason to be crabby?By the way,I had to get my creaky old body down and pick all of them up!
Well now what a couple of interesting comments. I would never call either of you grumpy or crabby. You both take pride in your home and were/are simply upset that others don't honor your space. Thanks for taking the time to read my rambling blog and commenting. Keep cool out there.
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