A Brief Comment by Niagara At Large publisher Doug Draper
“It is not true that people stop pursuing dreams because they grow old, they grow old because they stop pursuing dreams.”
This line, from Gabriel Garcia Marquez, the great Columbian novelist who died earlier this April, was sent to me by a good Niagara At Large supporter in the form of a poster I’m posting below. It was sent to me by someone who I’m sure had no knowledge that I was facing another 60-something birthday and the dread losing whatever is left of the mojo and youthful ideals that have fueled my work as a journalist.
I plan on hanging this poster above my desk and I recommend that any aging person out there in danger of burying their dreams in a mud pile of grumpy, cynical, negative name-calling jabs, hang this poster up, somewhere close to the computer they use to fire off those jabs, too.
As a moderator of comments coming into Niagara At Large on every issue from public transit and provincial and federal government, to health care, climate change, and on and on, I find I am getting a growing number of comments from what I can’t help but call ‘grumpy old men’ that never get past throwing a few spitballs at others.
I’m talking about cmments that amount to little more than schoolyard insutls and that add little or nothing to a conversation on what we can do, collectively as communities, to address the challenges we face, and they are comments that turn others, who might otherwise share their views, away from joining in the discussion.
That is why I have more recently stopped posting some of this negative, debilitating stuff, as much as some of the grumps get back to me with accusations that I am censoring them. I’d rather nix those than lose younger generations of people who still have a bit of fight in them to make a better world.
I will have more to say on Niagara At Largo’s comment policy and our desire to engage members of our greater Niagara region in more meaningful discussions on the challenges we face as communities in the near future.
In the meantime, keep the faith and try to go on fighting the good fight for a better future for all of us.
(NOW IT IS YOUR TURN. Niagara At Large encourages you to share your views on this post. A reminder that we only post comments by individuals who share their first and last name with them.)
Niagara At Large 
A few years ago I participated in a panel discussion on the difficulties recent grads were having in finding meaningful employment in Ontario. One of the younger participants blamed selfish “boomers” for this sad state of affairs. At the time it was fashionable to demonize “boomers” for not stepping aside and making room for new generations, notwithstanding well documented growing skills shortages.
Recently before this discussion, I had attended a project meeting in Toronto that included representatives of the client, the consultant and the trades. What was remarkable that out of the approximately 20 people at this meeting, the youngest was the client’s maintenance manager at 56 years of age. At that meeting I commented on the fact that the Mechanical and the Electrical Contractors’ people were all 60ish. The contractors replied that they couldn’t attract younger people, despite in some cases 6-figure salaries. Significantly, most of them made it clear that they still enjoyed pursuing their dreams. And almost everyone in the room spoke of how important it was to keep up with the times, new methods and technologies.
After I had collected my thoughts at the panel discussion, when my turn to comment came up, I told them about my personal experience, and why I thought the perception of “boomers” overstaying their welcome should be re-examined.
I had the benefit of good education, and had worked in the engineering and manufacturing fields since I was 16, with summer jobs in boiler manufacturing plants, pulp & paper mills and foundries.
Like many others of my demographic, I had found myself hopelessly unemployed on a number of key occasions as technologies changed mooting my skills, and had to re-invent myself. These milestone events were very disruptive, very traumatic, with serious consequences … some very bad. I had the spectre of poverty stare my in the face.
But the point of all this was that at my advanced age of 60-something, I had just become really good at what I was doing … the equivalent of mentally being 35 years old again … and be able to contribute to advancing the state of the art in my field.
I confess I was not very articulate as I explained that I was not unique in my never letting that spark go out. Just workmanlike I suppose. Not defensive … just laid out the realities from the other side of the age gap.
To my surprise my comments were met, not with resentment, but with a certain wonderment at the way I had spoken for those who had not become ossified impediments to growth. There was an appreciation for those who
had that positive never-say-die attitude.and were willing to mentor the ambitions of those that followed.
Much later I read this simple sentence penned by Marquez.
“It is not true that people stop pursuing dreams because they grow old, they grow old because they stop pursuing dreams.”
Wow. In one sentence he had given me the missing words with which to frame the code by which I have tried to live these last 20 years.
Remarkable. So personal.
Marquez had absolutely nailed it, as if he had been in the same room with us at that panel discussion. I wish he had been there to share his wisdom.
And the take-away for me is – Live aware, keep an open mind and heart, be mindful of context and nuance, keep that spark alive despite adversity, but above all … humility.
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I guess I AM the old timer here who never stops keeping on
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