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Let me start out by acknowledging that Childhoods End is the title of an Arthur C. Clarke book, and while the concept deals with what Im going to discuss, this editorial has nothing to do with Clarkes story. If youre hoping to know more about Clarkes book, I heartily suggest you take a trip down to your local library or bookstore and pick it up. Reading, after all, is a marvelous thing.
My theme in this column, instead, is going to be our relentless pursuit of youth in our culture. In most of the developed nations in this world, a flourishing industry exists to cater to the "Forever Young" crowd. New medical and surgical techniques appear often, promising a reversal of the aging process, only to be replaced later by still newer techniques. Advertisements tout products as exuding a "youthful" appearance, with the message that "this car is young and sexy" as opposed to some "old fogey" car from the competition. Adult fashions follow the youth fashion trends, with the implication that if we dress young, we must be young. All around us, products and services call seductively with the promise of eternal youth if we but part with a modest amount of cash in exchange.
Most of it, my friends, is a tanker load of ordure. We have allowed ourselves to be convinced that a façade of youth is the same as being young, and we waste our years grasping at this façade as though it were achievable.
One of my all time favorite quotes, and one I use as a signature line in several places, is from Oliver Wendell Holmes. He said, "We do not quit playing because we grow old; we grow old because we quit playing." Take a moment to think about that one. Ponder it. Savor it as a fine wine or a delicious aroma. Hold it up to the light and check the clarity thereof. Mr. Holmes hit the nail on the head with this one, and his wisdom is worth infinitely more than all the products and services promising us our vanishing youth.
You see, Mr. Holmes didnt say that we would keep our youth. No, he commented on the process of growing old. Were confused in our culture. We see only two possibilities: Were either young, or were old. What weve forgotten is that "old" is more of a state of mind than of chronology. The passage of the years since your birth does not make you old. You make yourself old when you choose to be old.
When I was 15 years old, I rode a bicycle almost everywhere. I was young, and the bicycle was my ticket to freedom and mobility. Whats more, it was fun. It was cheap, and it was healthy (at least, when I didnt do something characteristically "youthful" causing a crash). When I turned 16 and got my drivers license, though, bicycling was suddenly "kid stuff", while the automobile was "adult". Riding a bike wasnt cool anymore, while having a car was something of a "rite of passage". The old bicycle was forgotten, neglected, and eventually, discarded. Not 20 years later, I rediscovered my love of bicycling. The "adult" privilege of driving a car had become more of a chore than a joy. For my 35th birthday, I rode my first ever "Century" ride of 111 miles in a single day. When I ride, I dont feel old. When I ride, I still feel that freedom and joy I felt riding as a kid. Im not getting any younger, but when Im riding, Im not getting any older, either.
So what, youre probably asking yourself, does any of this have to do with Collector Times, or the normal subject matter herein? I mention that rhetorically, since I figure youve likely already made the connection. CT is about playing. Games, comics, movies, toys, and so on, are things that encourage playing. Sure, you may buy a collectible toy and secure it away in a safe place, but just having it infuses a certain "play attitude" in us. If I look at a G. I. Joe from the mid 60s, Im reminded of the many happy hours I spent playing with mine as a kid. I dont have to take the vintage one out and play in the dirt to get the happy smile associated with it. Sure, when I look at a classic G. I. Joe, I can think about how I used to have one of those, and how much it would be worth if I still had it. But do you know why its worth so much now? Because we try and put a price on the fun we had with them way back when. What would it be worth to you now to revisit that innocent time of youth and fun?
Is it worth visiting a toy or game store today? Is it worth a trip to the hobby shop, or bike shop, or craft store, or wherever supplies for something that you enjoy are available? You dont have to pay high prices for the vintage toys you remember. In fact, I would suggest, at least for the first step, buying a contemporary model that you wont hesitate to take out and play with. Or, if its comic books, a contemporary title that youll read and enjoy. You dont want that "adult" mentality of "protecting the investment" to inhibit the fun factor. Those of us in the "adult" world of making a living and being responsible spend enough time and effort protecting investments. We need to spend some time playing.
Read a comic book. Ride a bike. Play a game. Laugh at a silly kids movie. Try and remember how to do your old yo-yo tricks. Read "Harry Potter". Read "Lord of the Rings." Play with a slinky. Throw a frisbee. Blow some soap bubbles. Throw a water balloon at your kids. Get pelted with water balloons. Color on the sidewalk with chalk. Dress up a "Barbie" doll. Click your heels together three times in the middle of a long, boring meeting and say, "Theres no place like home! Theres no place like home!"* Wear "Scooby Doo" underwear. Buy a pair of "Groucho" glasses. Smile more, frown less. Maybe all this wont erase the "crows feet" like a Botox injection might, but after the Botox, youll still feel just as old inside. Getting older is mandatory, but growing old is not.
In a few weeks, Im scheduled to ride another Century on the bicycle, and I have at least three other Centuries planned for this year. The fourth one is the day after my 43rd birthday. I will turn 43 whether I ride the Century or not, but I look at it this way: At 42 years old, I am in better shape physically than I was at 21.
And I dont feel nearly as old, either.
*Disclaimer: The author and the staff of Collector Times cannot be held responsible for the actions taken by humorless bosses if you decide to use this "Wizard of Oz" allusion during an important meeting. Please use humor sensibly. Remember, its always funny until someone gets hurt, or fired.
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