Goodbye 2011, Hello 2012

If that title seems a bit tepid, then I have accomplished what I set out to do. For me, 2011 was a year of recovery and improvements over a 2010 that was pretty tough for the entire Taylor family as they watched and helped Dad deal with the cancer challenge. 2011 took me on the upswing as I am pretty much back to the "old" Gordy and that is way more than I had any right to hope for or expect. I am actually gaining a little weight, my appetite has returned, and to some extent my taste buds are actually functioning. My health gurus, Don Patterson and Maury Coats, told me this would happen if I was patient and over the course of 19 months, it has. Hooray!!!! Yet, in the back of cancer survivors’ minds, the “c” word is always there and every ache, pain, or change in your body rhythm is cause for alarm, justified or not. I will be much more relaxed after I hit the two year recovery mark on June 10, 2012.

As I age and get a bit more reflective, there is time to look at the world that faces all of us today. For us boomers, it has been a pretty good ride. We grew up, went to school, got jobs, married, had kids, lived lives a bit better than our parents and basically experienced what we were told was the American Dream. We were always employed and while there were economic rough spots, we continued to move forward both in our personal and professional lives. Yes, we all have issues--health, raising kids, being the sandwich generation between our parents and our kids, but all in all, still a good run.

Like the rest of you, Diane and I have experienced all of these issues. Most of you don't know this but we had some rough economic times in the late 70s when I was given a terminal contract at Western since I had not yet completed my doctorate. It was a frustrating and difficult period in our lives but we persevered. I got the alumni job, the PhD was completed, and we were back on track.

I say all this because this was the way the Boomer generation expected things to happen. Trials and tribulations faced us but there was never any real doubt that things wouldn't work out in the long run--of course they would. This was the United States and the future was always bright. I worry that this is not the reality facing our children. Our oldest is 40 and youngest 31. All three of our kids have jobs and are doing fine, and Diane and I are grateful for that. But something is different today for young people. They are tired, not optimistic, frustrated, and worried. Why shouldn't they be? It hits them everywhere. Is there a flicker of optimism for this generation? They read the same newspapers I read, they watch the same evening news, and listen to the same political pundits. In their lives to date, all they have heard about is economic gloom and doom--banking, real estate, government malfeasance, higher taxes, and no prospects for improvement on the horizon, short or long term. When we graduated from high school or college, jobs were waiting for us. We can’t say the same today.

When I went "on the road," I was gone, both literally and figuratively. No cell phone, no fax, no email. I would call Diane every two or three days (yes, this was a long distance call and it cost real money) but generally I was gone on business and couldn't be contacted unless I wanted to be. Not so today. Our children are on call 24/7/365. I don't hear them complain as this is their reality. The Blackberry, cell phones, and computers via the internet make them easily accessible and accountable. They can never seem to just relax and "chill out." They are seemingly forever "on call" and reachable. Couple this with our general economic malaise and I feel sorry for our kids.

Will they ever be able to just "get away?" Can they really go on a vacation like we did and enjoy a week or two or more on the beach, on the golf course, in the mountains, or anywhere they please without the constant tie to the job. I think not. This discourages and worries me. Volkswagen just initiated a new policy that says they will not contact their employees after hours with emails. This speaks volumes about the direction our society is moving. Now I'm no Luddite, (well sort of), but I want my kids and yours to wake up one morning and be optimistic about that future that lies ahead. This is not about money, it is about time, quality time, and we all need it. I constantly tell my children that I worked hard and did so for long hours but it was very different. When I wanted to "close it down" and not be contacted or badgered (strong language but true) I could do so.

I say goodbye to 2011 grateful for all that has come my way including all the wonderful people who have been there for me these many months. I say hello to 2012 hopeful that the next generation can begin to experience what my Dad referred to as "the little things" that make life worthwhile. My wish for all of us, wherever we are on life's journey, is to have that most precious of commodities, time, unencumbered time, to really sit back and "smell the roses." Best wishes for a happy new year and a healthy, balanced 2012.