You CAN Teach an Old Dog New Tricks

Day 191 of Photo Inspirations — You CAN Teach an Old Dog New Tricks!!
25 years ago, I became the Associate Director of Communications at the University of Manitoba, a position that required a Masters Degree in Communication.  I didn’t have a Masters Degree, and in spite of many job applicants, much more educationally qualified, I was hired for the position.  How come?  I had already been performing the work of the position before it even became a position.  I didn’t know telephony, but I learned and was responsible for bringing voice mail and other innovative technologies to the UM.  I was willing to learn, and learn I did.  It became my dream job, working with great people at an incredible university.

Continuing to be in a learning mode has been my modus operandi and it has served me well.  I am still a Private Pilot — whew — that was intense ground school, in-flight training and testing.  I was a Securities Broker — whew — that training and final exam was a whopper, but I wanted a job promotion so I submitted to the process.  I am still a Real Estate Broker — lots of training, testing and now, continuing education to stay abreast of the changes in the market. It has served me well.  I’m a self-taught graphic artist — love being able to put together greeting cards, business cards, posters, etc. I’m a self-taught social media whiz — what a great way to communicate!!

Now, I can add another title to my resume:  Website Developer.  Honestly, I’m not sharing all these skills or titles to impress you.  It just impresses upon me that this “Mature” Dog can continue to learn new tricks.   Today, technology is getting more and more user-friendly, so when I set out to develop a website, complete with bells and whistles, for the community where I live, I was pleasantly surprised with the tools I found to guide me.  It took hours of patience and diligence, but I’m pleased with the finished product:  www.hydeparktulsa.com

I don’t know if someone has told you “You’re too old.”  And, I don’t know if you are telling yourself that “you’re just too old to learn this or that”.  I was visiting with a “mature”, but very intellectually brilliant man who told me that he just lets his son handle emails for him.  He just doesn’t want to take the time to learn it.  He thinks he’s too old.  But I think that’s just a bogus self-fulfilling prophecy. If you think you are too old, you won’t try at all because it’s “hopeless” and you won’t learn, and “therefore” you ARE too old!

Sincerely, that man inspired me to post this today.  There are those who live in a state of complacency — sitting in their rocking chairs or arm chairs, flipping channels on TV, and they’re letting life slip through their fingers. Why not squeeze everything we can out of this life while we still can?  There are adventures to be had, lessons to be learned, trails to blaze and imprints to be left behind us.  WE ARE NOT TOO OLD to learn new tricks and new modes of operation and to enjoy everything we can while we’re still here.n Henry Ford’s words, “ANYONE who stops learning is old, whether 20 or 80,  Anyone who keeps learning stays YOUNG.”