Splashed across the top of the tabloid in big bold letters
was the headline, “BABY BOOMERS FACE ENERGY CRISIS!”
I didn’t take time to read the article but I did check the
byline and that little thumbnail picture of the reporter. She was barely dry
behind the ears and with a name like that you can bet her grandmother is the
baby boomer; she’s sure not! Folks did not name their baby girl River O’Malley
in my day. So Mr. Hot Shot Reporter, with no gray hair, no wrinkles, no
varicose veins and not even a tiny bit of cellulite hanging on the back of your
knees, what gave you the first clue that we’re facing an energy crisis?
Did you interview a hundred baby boomers to find out this
shocking revelation or did some teenager’s MP3 player rap out a message in your
ear letting you in on the shocking secret that those of us who are now over
sixty are facing this big crisis?
I am a baby boomer. I’ve known for years that I’m facing an
energy crisis so I doubt this is an article that is going to be nominated for
the Pulitzer Prize.
Things I used to do all day now take me all day to do. There
was a time I could clean house all day, whip out half a dozen pies and six
dozen cookies while I did the laundry and then sometime around midnight, I
might decide to sew up an outfit to wear to work the next day. And all without
the help of kale and protein energy drinks or those high-powered vitamin pills.
Nowadays, I dust the coffee table and take a sweet tea break
to regroup and think about how to spend the rest of my fast-failing energy.
Should I vacuum or clean out the refrigerator…one thing for sure, I will not do
both on the same day.
At one time I could plop down on the floor with the grace of
a ballerina and get up without a single whimper. Now I can plop down on the
floor with the grace of an inebriated elephant and get up with the help of a
heavy duty fork lift.
My youngest granddaughter now grunts when she gets out of a
chair because she thinks that’s the proper etiquette. After all I’m the
grandmother who tells her to use her napkin not her shirt sleeve to wipe her
mouth at the dinner table; to always cross her legs at the ankle and keep her
skirt tail pulled down.
Used to be that I could stay out until the wee hours of the
morning, catch a couple of hours of sleep, awake with the gusto of a hungry hound
and jump into the new day. But lately my get up and go has done got up and
went. I can still stay out until the wee hours of the morning but three days
later I’m still whining.
So River O’Malley, don’t expect those of us who are genuine
baby boomers to be shocked or even faintly amused by your headlines. We have
fearlessly faced the energy crisis. We have come to terms with it and accepted
it. It’s not “stop the presses” news, and honey, your time will come when you
are facing the same crisis.
Where did all the energy go that we use to have? Certainly not into a lot of our teenagers, and no I am not speaking of all of them, but some and a fair lot of them have no energy! It summer, they don't have summer jobs, they are sleeping past noon time and then getting up and complaining that they are tired. I think I know where it is going, We the baby boomers have not hit that magic number yet. My 80 years old Mother has more energy then two people! By this time this morning she has her wash done and ready to be put away, since my Dad is still sleeping this will have to wait, but only until he is in the bathroom, doing his morning routine, then the laundry will be put away and the bed will be made. While she was waiting for Daddy to wait up, she has done her dusting both high, because after all it is Wednesday and the low. Running the vacuum will have to wait, but the bathroom and kitchen has been moped and she already has the table set for breakfast. My Mom takes care of my Dad, who has Alzheimer with help from me, and she does it with a smile and a loving word for him at all times. I liked to have a 1/4 of her energy. Next I think our has gone into the toddlers in our lives. My goodness they have more energy then they know what to do with. They are on the go as soon as their eyes open and when they do get tired and need to recharge their batteries they can drop down no matter where they are and sleep the most restful, recharge your batteries that you and I can only dream of, that is if we could get to sleep. So, I hope this help to explain where our energy has gone. Now it time for a nap, writing this has drained me of my energy.
ReplyDeleteIt takes longer now to think about doing something than to start doing it! When my hair stylists little boy was about two, I said would it be nice to have that much energy! She said no, if I had that much I'd hurt myself! I now have to agree! Naps are recharging stations for baby bomers! Now just thinking about the week ahead makes me tired!
ReplyDeleteI'll be 29 and I have can't do anything with out my energy drink. I'm dead without them. My almost three year old sucks the energy out of me. I wish I could "whip out half a dozen pies and six dozen cookies while I do the laundry"
ReplyDeleteI'm a few years shy of the baby boomer years age but lord sometimes I feel like I'm 90. I don't have the energy for squat! Well time to feed the horses, go to the dentist and then the bush hogging. House is clean, I mean really clean, my back says so! This may be the reason I'm always tired, you figure?
ReplyDeleteIt used to be a breeze taking care of 3 children under 5 and baking, cooking from scratch etc. Now watching my 4 year old granddaughter for a couple days wears me out! My mind tells me all the things that I can do today but then my body says whoa!
ReplyDeleteIt used to be a breeze taking care of 3 children under 5 and baking, cooking from scratch etc. Now watching my 4 year old granddaughter for a couple days wears me out! My mind tells me all the things that I can do today but then my body says whoa!
ReplyDeleteIt used to be a breeze taking care of 3 children under 5 and baking, cooking from scratch etc. Now watching my 4 year old granddaughter for a couple days wears me out! My mind tells me all the things that I can do today but then my body says whoa!
ReplyDeleteMy days of plopping down on the floor and getting up with no difficulty are long over. Now I am at the point where I talk about "the good ole days" - you know about those, you could move without creaking.
ReplyDeleteI may not be a "Baby Boomer" but my mind runs at a sprint while my body thinks its on a Sunday drive taking the scenic route. Wish they would meet somewhere in the middle most days.
ReplyDeleteIt happens,it cannot all the time always have energy :)
ReplyDelete