Big Words

One of my friends shared the link of my blog, “How Old Are You?” on his FB wall. That post is an abridged version of my talk on how it is to be a writer at retirement age.  Immediately one of his friends posted a message, “Seems to be a Socio-Emotional Selectivity Theory at work here . . .”

Don't let those big words throw you off.  Big words are a part of our world; they explain certain facts or phenomena.

They are usually uttered and bandied about by hot shots in academe or people with a string of degrees to their names. (Sometimes I feel I am a misfit in the academe; I have no theories, nor use big words. An adjective that will never be used to describe my writings is, scholarly.) 

But I happen to know those big words well. We made use of the theory in advertising to understand, communicate, and sell to the mature market. However, we had a surrogate label for it, a much simpler one: reformer mindset.

It simply means—older people mellow.  

Their thoughts are on a different plane: fewer, but more meaningful relationships; altruism; spirituality, with less negative emotions. 

Let me simplify that further: grace seeker.

It's a term as old as the hills. People of faith, then and now, are all on a pilgrimage to seek grace. As we get closer to our destination, we are more . . . selective, as the Socio-Emotional Selectivity Theory postulates. We choose only what counts to deepen our relationship with our Maker, who waits to welcome us home across the earthly finish line.