Learning to Live With a New Normal

I am learning to live with a new normal.  Three weeks ago, on a Saturday morning, I awoke with a severe pain in my lower back. That was nothing unusual since I had been diagnosed with moderate arthritis in my lower back and neck. This sharp pain was different.  I discovered how intense when I tried to take a step.  I ended up crawling down the steps to the family room where I spent the rest of the weekend in my recliner. Now three weeks later I am on the road to recovery.  Thanks to my chiropractor friend, Dr. Stephen Tietjen, and a physical therapist I am now beginning to function again.

Things are different, however.  I am learning to manage my pain.  For the first time in my life I am having to pay someone to cut my lawn.  I now sleep in my recliner since it hurts to lie flat.  I have also learned to say "yes" when people offer to do things for me.  No golf for the immediate future. I am told things should continue to improve, but right now I am enjoying life for what it is.

Making adjustments as we face a changing world or new challenges is part of life, especially for those of us who are older.  One of the most drastic changes, for many of us who are baby boomers, is in the way the world communicates.  Think of all the new words that have been added to our vocabulary; social media, texting, tweets, Facebook and mobile devices.  What happened to good old face to face conversations?

A just started reading a new book that might change my perspective on how I feel about changes when it comes to communication.  The book is titled It's Complicated: The Social Life of Networked Teens. The author, Danah Boyd, spent three years studying, observing and talking with teens about social media and the way they communicate.  One of her conclusions is that kids are still kids.  Where a generation ago kids found community at the shopping mall or local fast food restaurant, today's teens live in a much more demanding and complicated world.  They find community through social media.  Parents and other adults use their cellular devices to communicate and network.  Teens use theirs to stay in touch with friends and create community.  Sounds to me like when it comes to communication, the new normal is a lot like the old to most teens.

How we adjust to change can effect how we related to the world and the people around us.  We can resist change or go with.  We can attempt to understand or complain about it.  We can reflect on the past or look to the future with anticipation.  Our attitude toward change might very well effect our ability to share the Good News and be Jesus' disciples.