July 1, 2008 (Tuesday)
In the fall of 1940, the 1941 automobiles made their appearance. I remember one was parked in front of our house by a friend of the family. I thought that 1941 Chevrolet was the most streamlined car I had ever seen. “Wow!” I thought, “what a car!”
The 1941 Chevrolet, now 67 years old, is an antique and very rare today. What was once the very latest in engineering success has now become old, antiquated, and virtually useless. Does that mean it never was any good? Of course not. It had its day, and a long one at that, because the 1942 model year was cut short and manufacture of domestic cars halted until 1946, when cars with temporary parts were rolled off the assembly line.
Occasionally, we will see on the road a classic car from the past, and we nearly always stop and take notice. We admire the old car’s tenacity, and willingness to keep on trying, even though outclassed in every way by new cars.
Does this apply to people, too? Are elderly people always treated with respect, in appreciation for the lives they have lived and the contributions they have made?
Do we honor our elders or do we treat them like “Mister Cellophane,” and look right through them? Antiques are valuable, aren’t they?