Not long ago, I wrote about an old tractor that found new life after being restored ( Rust, Smoke… and Restart: Why Older People Still Matter –) — and how it reminded me that older people still have immense value if we take the time to help them restart.
This week, as I looked out over the same farm, another relic caught my eye — an old windmill. Rusted blades. Bent frame. Standing still in the hot air.
Once, it would have turned tirelessly day after day, pulling up water and sustaining life on the farm. But now, it stood motionless — a reminder of what used to be.
And it got me thinking.
We often celebrate things (and people) only when they’re new, fast, or efficient. But what about the ones that once carried the load, kept things running, and gave so much of themselves for so long?
Just because something no longer turns the way it used to doesn’t mean it’s lost its worth. The old windmill may not pump water anymore — but it still stands tall. It tells a story of endurance, of quiet service, of seasons that came and went.
In much the same way, the older people in our communities and workplaces may no longer move as quickly or produce as much, but their previous good works have shaped the world we live in. They deserve more than to be forgotten once they slow down.
Sometimes, value isn’t in what something does today, but in what it has done — and the lessons it still quietly teaches those who notice.
Article written by Angela Watkins
#OlderPeopleMatter
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