Lawrence Welk Syndrome
Life in retirement seems to me to have slowed down. Not in a big way, but the pace is different from work days in the work world. I still feel active but every so often it is a concern that things will continue to slow and with age, grind to a halt. There is great resistance to this notion and I am trying to push things a little, to be more active. This episode “Lawrence Welk Syndrome” is symbolic of that concern. It pokes a little fun at the dread of becoming less active or even less mobile.
We live in a period of multiculturalism which might be counter to using someone or a cultural figure to illustrate a point, especially if it involves making light of that figure. My point in this piece is not to belittle or condescend. I have respect for Lawrence Welk although to me he represents a time and age that has passed. My reference in this episode to someone watching the show is that their age or time may have passed. It may seem easier to embrace the past and detach from what is going on in the present time. Maybe that’s ok to a certain degree but falling deep into the past could prevent me or anyone from discovering what is left in this challenging yet dynamic time. My hope is that no one who sees this episode loses any sleep over getting the syndrome. I think even if one wanted to watch Lawrence Welk it may be difficult to find a way to view it, maybe. Just watch out for those never ending trips down memory lane.