FRONT OF HOUSE
EXTENDING YOUR SHELF LIFE | Kent Morris
At 92 , my father is still going strong . Raised through the Great Depression , Homer Morris is part of the Greatest Generation known for their toughness , tenacity , and solid core values . Recently , he had a combination of the flu , pneumonia and A-fib which forced him into the critical care unit at St . Joseph Hospital in Atlanta for several weeks . After his release , the rehab center at Emory University took him in to get him back on his feet . While most of the elderly in rehab slowly shuffle about in silence , Dad engaged each therapist with enthusiasm , jumping up to start a session and taking off at high speed with the therapist struggling to catch up as he hummed songs and disappeared around the corner with his walker set to Race Mode . While some patients were clearly past their prime , Dad kept on going . He encouraged a therapist to bring her guitar and sing hymns with him . Another , he engaged in a Bible study . His shelf life simply extends , it doesn ’ t expire . The obvious question is why ?
The answers encompass good genes , healthy living , and divine grace , but also include mental focus on experiencing what today offers . Dad certainly gets down occasionally , but he bounces back quickly by considering the immense gift of being alive . We just lost Mom in February and he was her primary caregiver , so finding purpose after her passing has been a challenge . But God has no ambiguity ; everyone living has purpose . It may not be grandiose or significant in the world ’ s eyes , but it matters to God . For Dad , he is now the family patriarch . All his siblings have passed on . He is my and my children ’ s generations only connection to our family ’ s history . Only his testimony remains to the goodness of God for nine decades , the lineage God has chosen for us and how we fit into God ’ s narrative . If Dad doesn ’ t relay something , it is lost forever . As the conduit to the “ old paths ” he holds the key to finding , as Jeremiah 6:16 states , “… the ancient paths , where the good way is and [ then ] walk in it ”.
In tech world , obsolescence is entwined in the process , with equipment regularly expiring after just a few years in the field as newer , more advanced products take over . In the same vein , veteran techs can feel their shelf life is past its date , since someone younger and with more relevant knowledge is standing in the wings . However , like my Dad , each tech is in that booth for a reason . For all the whizz-bang of today ’ s gear , it still operates on principles that are decades old and most teens haven ’ t yet internalized those principles .
Operating a rig is one thing , knowing why it works is another . When something goes wrong , it is vital to have the backstory in hand as to how and why equipment functions as it does to solve the issue quickly and completely , and that , my friend , takes experience . The baton must be passed fully with all the hard-earned wisdom intact . And , once the handoff is made , the fresh runner needs encouragement from the older teammate as they round the bend toward the finish line . Life is a team sport ; no one should do it alone .
In addition , shelf life isn ’ t always a negative construct . The fact things and lives end should give rise to urgency in completing tasks now , making that difficult call today and finishing that dormant project this year , for we know not what tomorrow brings . We are temporal in this life and our impact is measured in the dash line etched on the gravestone between our birth date and our death . Don ’ t simply mold away on the shelf ; get out there and make a difference regardless of the circumstances .
Kent Morris Kent is a 42-year veteran of the AVL arena driven by passion for excellence tempered by the knowledge digital is a temporary state .