Old school ways still bring joy to many of us

Do items and behaviors of the past warm your heart? Do they give you a wistful or comforting feeling? Consider the rotary dial telephones, encyclopedias or the early typewriters. These are items people rarely encounter anymore. Old school behaviors include making iced tea in the window or dropping by to see friends or family and enjoying a cup of Sanka with Entenmann’s cake or other tasty treats.

Some things we used to do were not so innocuous like hitchhiking, not wearing seatbelts in cars and smoking on airplanes. In these ways, our society has evolved for the better.

In what ways could you use a little dose of old school ways? Perhaps you prefer speaking to a live customer service person rather than an automated robotic system. Maybe you’d like to enjoy dinner with family and friends without everyone’s phone pinging. Would it be fun to enjoy flipping through the Sears catalogue in preparation for upcoming holidays? Many people bask in the enjoyment of watching old shows from “I Love Lucy” to “Bewitched.” Others enjoy listening to the music of their youth and young adulthood. These things bring them joy. If you did not have a positive past, these very things may be triggering for you. You may associate these old school items and activities with pain, angst and sorrow. You might choose to avoid them at all costs. For you, moving boldly into the future is much more comforting and delighting than relishing the past.

While people who enjoy the “old school” way are considered traditionalist by those who prefer the future, they refer to themselves as more down to earth and trustworthy. They often voice concerns about moving too hastily into the inventions of the future. Are they being stagnant and fear-based or is this a position of wise leadership? Is there a place for the future face of life and the predictable past to balance one another out?