BETWEEN THE LINES: Time changes our perspective
When I graduated from college in 1969, retirement seemed eons away. Over the years, I gave it little thought, never being one to read my retirement plan summaries.
At the end of this month, it becomes a reality.
It was a strange moment a few weeks ago when I went online to file for my Social Security benefit. In a few minutes, it was done. As Shakespeare would say: "The die is cast."
Unfortunately, retirement means I am getting old. I’ll turn 65 in November, and I find my thoughts drifting to the effects of the aging process. The signs of aging are well known, but they take on new meaning when one personally reaches that moment.
Hair stops growing where it is supposed to and suddenly appears where it is not wanted. A jump from the fourth row of the bleachers to the ground — accomplished without thought in youth — no longer is contemplated. With increasing frequency, I head off to do something only to arrive at my destination forgetting what I started out to do, which I find terribly frustrating.
Of late, I have found myself inexplicably singing old songs, mostly from the 1960s, which confirms what most people know: The music of our teenage years is indelibly printed on the pages of our mind. It is indeed a strange phenomenon when I find myself driving down the road singing "Like a Bridge Over Troubled Waters." The Simon and Garfunkel hit of 1969 is one of my all-time favorites, and it became their all-time best seller.
The duo broke up before they hit the big time. It was the release of a song on their first unsuccessful album that turned around their fate. The song "Sounds of Silence" would climb to No. 1 on the American billboards and relaunch their careers.
Another side effect of the aging process is memory loss. Although I remember the songs, some of the lyrics escape me. It could be that I never got them right in the first place. Just for curiosity, I went on the Internet last week to look up the lyrics of "Sounds of Silence." Decades later, Simon’s lyrics stilI resonate with such provocative phrases as, “People talking without speaking, people hearing without listening.”
In addition, I discovered some interesting facts. Simon began writing the song in February 1964 after the assassination of President John F. Kennedy. It eventually took the 21-year-old six months to complete. Apparently, I am not the only one who loved the song — the tune is ranked in the top 200 songs of all time.
Fate played its hand in the song’s success. On his own volition, the duo’s record company producer added drums, electric guitar and bass and released the song in September 1965. By January 1, the song reached No. 1. The singers reunited, and the rest, as they say, is history.
Another memorable hit of theirs is "Homeward Bound." The song hit the charts about the time I was driving home from college my freshman year. I, too, at that moment, was homeward bound during the holidays to my parent’s residence in Houston.
The biggest difference that aging has brought is that I place a higher value on my time. I presume that is because I have less of it left. In addition, I cherish my relationships with people more. I spend less time on fluff and more on substance. I have been increasingly concerned about the world my children and grandchild are inheriting, and I am dedicating myself to doing my utmost to improve it.
Laughlin is a Christian Libertarian. He is an economist, teacher, father, husband and most recently a grandfather. He has written a weekly column for The Tribune for 12 years. He and his wife Gina reside in Meadowlakes. To contact him, e-mail ablaughlin@nctv.com. He is an independent columnist, not a staff member, and his views do not necessarily reflect those of The Tribune or its parent company.