It is shock when we realize that something we hold dear is coming to an end. Think Game of Thrones, typewriters and landlines. “How can this be?” we ask ourselves. You may have loved whatever it is, but time marches on and waits for no man—nothing lasts forever.
They say that change is the only constant in life. Of course that’s a problem for those who don’t like change. Historians, marketers and pollsters all say that people, in general, don’t like change. The status quo is just fine; no change means no effort, no work, no problem. The universe doesn’t care about that.
Parents and older people may lament that kids aren’t the way they used to be. Let’s hope not. Kids are people and they change with the times and surroundings. Some people of a certain age and older refuse to join the technical age, viewing email, texts and computers with suspicion and wariness. Man of their brethern have embraced the changes that technology affords. Just think: a proud grandmother can send a photo of their precious grandbaby around the globe before that baby gets out of its crib. Imagine the joy of sharing that non-computer using grandparents are missing out on.
People change, kind of, from generation to generation. But what teens of the 1950s cared about and what teens of today care about is similar: dating, music, adventure.
Nothing changes quicker or more profoundly than culture. Music, movies and television retain their basic structure from the past, but the content is always being updated. It does not use to lament how movies and TV shows ain’t what they used to be. With streaming services and DVDs, one can choose to watch the golden oldies. Other people want to move with the times.
Every generation brings their own sensibilities to the things the previous generation considers priceless. The shopping mall of the 1970s and ‘80s is dyng and making way for a new kind of shopping? Good. Things to get stale. It is why a homeowner will opt to paint the kitchen or living a different color—to shake it up a bit.
Communities, towns and cities are always changing, much to the chagrin of long-time residents. Change is what keeps things alive and moving forward. We don’t live in communities encased in amber, forever looking the same, never growing, never shrinking.
Our town of Keizer is currently on the cusp of some major changes due to demographics and economics. Many people moved to Keizer due to its small town vibe and its quaintness. Perhaps we can maintain that atmosphere, but that’s unlikely as time marches on. History and tradition give way to other ways of thinking and living.
Keizer has been a popular address for more than 20 years. The city welcomes new residents not only from the local area but also people who have moved from other states, bringing their own values to mix with our native values.
If America is hailed as a great melting pot of people, as a part of America, Keizer is its own melting pot. A delicious stew is made of many ingredients. Keizer is made better and stronger when we all embrace the different views brought here every year by people who choose to make Keizer their home.
Nothing lasts forever. The only constant is change and that, in the end, is the human condition.
(Lyndon Zaitz is editor and publiser of the Keizertimes.)