Elders

We see our elders as vulnerable, susceptible and at risk, and this may be the case right now with this pesky germ wreaking havoc. 

But having made the decision to do what we need to as a society to keep everyone safe I think we can then go one step further. Rather than fan the flame by focusing on the weaknesses of the older generations we could pay our attention to their strengths. There is something I see in my 83 year old Oma and others of her generation that I don’t see in the “young healthy” people, including myself. A word that pops to mind is resiliency. They are far more experienced in this thing called life than any of us. They have lived through pandemics, wars and recessions. They have watched the world move from hand written letters to live streaming video they have seen humanity move from walking pace into a high speed sprint. They have done what they need to do to adapt, transform and change, again and again. 

If there is one thing we should all be doing right now it is asking our elders for advice. Even if you don’t feel you need it, a genuine inquiry about life is a much nicer offering than projecting our fear and worry into their world. The news does enough of that. 

I would imagine genuine questions about their life experience would be incredibly refreshing to the ears of these old-timers that are probably sick and tired of being “the sick and tired”. They are the powerful minds of a generation that can teach us newbies some things. If we are lucky enough to have any of these people in our lives we should make the most of it. 

Today I tried something different in my approach as I chatted to my dear old Oma, I asked her for advice. As I awaited her response, I noticed, that in that moment I didn’t see her as weak or vulnerable, I saw her as strong, tough and unshakable. I saw her resiliency, staying power and enormous heart. 

I trust that by seeing these qualities in her, she saw them too 
Thanks Oma.