The World Is Getting Smaller...Not

 Remember the days when it took days, if not weeks, to get news from around the globe?  Obviously that has all changed, and now, wherever you are in the world, news is available almost instantly.  As we age, we still have news and social media all the time.  In spite of all this, our world gets smaller as we grow older.

Many of the things you were able to do at 50 or 60 years of age are no longer so easy at 70, 80, and 90.  Driving and walking are two skills that when you lose them,  shrink your world.  You can no longer get up and go shopping whenever you want, or take a walk, or walk around a mall.  Plans have to be made in advance, and that's not always easy.  

Everything becomes harder as you age, and the things you do for yourself take longer.  Bathing, dressing, buttoning clothes, tying shoes all take more time.  So you resort to slip on shoes, blouses or shirts without buttons, quick showers (hopefully you've got handrails) instead of long, luxurious baths.  Sometimes you say "It's just too  much trouble to get dressed and go out for dinner.  I'll stay in and eat leftovers or call Uber Eats."

Traveling becomes difficult too, in fact so difficult, that many people I know over 70 don't want to travel or go near an airport anymore.  

For all these reasons, despite the instant access to shopping on line, ordering food on line, watching interesting travel films on line, and getting our news on line, the world is shrinking for many seniors.  Some rarely go out of their homes, others wander a bit in their neighborhood, but since they might not drive or probably don't drive at night anymore, they miss out on much of their community activity.  They may not travel anymore, go to theatre or concerts, so they are spectators rather than participants.

I know it's hard.  I lived with someone in declining health for 6 years, yet we cruised, flew, went to ball games and the movies.  Oh, and we ate out every week!  It was hard for me, and so hard for Ron, but it was worth it.  He participated in life until the very end.  That's what I intend to do, even as things get a little bit harder everyday.