This guest post is written by Kate Harveston, a writer and political activist from Pennsylvania. She blogs about culture and politics, and the various ways that those elements act upon each other. For more of her work, you can follow her on Twitter or subscribe to her blog, Only Slightly Biased.
It’s always important to remember where you came from: your hometown, your humble beginnings, maybe your parents who saw you through it all. In today’s world, though, appreciation for the past seems to be lost in the fray, cast aside in favour of fast-paced jobs, modern technology and eyes focused intently on what’s to come.
I think it’s important that we start to change that, both for the current generation of elders, as well as for future generations who will eventually take on the same role. We have so much to learn from those who have walked through life before us, but we often forget to ask.
They have good advice
The world has undoubtedly changed from when your parents or grandparents were your age. While they may not have faced the same exact trials as you do nowadays, they can still provide you with nuggets of wisdom, having been through most of life’s ups and downs already. As such, their advice is even more valuable to you: They’ve navigated problems successfully and can help you do the same. Then, their wisdom will become yours to pass on in the future.
Our elders have a great perspective on our problems in the grand scheme of life because they’ve lived for decades already. Don’t be afraid to tap into the insights of your grandparents or parents and see things from their vantage point. What’s bothering you seems huge now, but in a few years’ time, it will likely be a small blip on the radar. If anyone can assure you of that, it’s someone who’s lived through a similar sentiment.
We can defeat ageism
In today’s world, it’s all about looking younger, feeling younger and, in many cases, acting younger. Of course, there’s nothing wrong with taking advantage of the first few decades of one’s life, but seeing aging as a negative thing can have consequences.
Things have already begun to get better. The elderly, who have struggled to hold onto jobs into their later years, can no longer be discriminated against for their age in the workplace. On top of that, more films and TV shows feature representative characters. The elderly are more active and healthier than they’ve been in the past, too.
By opening our hearts and minds to the oldest generation, we can further break down these barriers to fulfillment and success that younger people do not see until they’re in the same shoes down the line. Just by spending time with our elders, we will deepen our understanding of and appreciation for them.
They thrive, too
Popular culture will lead you to believe that, once people reach a certain age, they lose a lot of their good sense: Their memories are gone, and so is their grip on reality. On our screens, older people are often portrayed as crazy.
However, not every country has the same representation of their elders. Take China, for example: There, the oldest generations are seen as mentors, exalted for their wisdom. Because of that appreciation, elderly individuals in China perform much better on memory tests than those of the same age in North America. In other words, our expectations of older people can affect the way they live and remember — when we invest more confidence in them, they are more likely to follow through on those expectations.
Sometimes, the elderly also need help to take care of themselves. By some estimates, 1,800 deaths per year are linked to elder abuse. We tend to forget issues unique to the elderly because they don’t make it into the media as much. But this is something we can change, if we take the time to.
Attentiveness and appreciation can make all the difference in a situation like this one. Simply
checking in with an elderly relative can ensure their well-being.
Appreciate, learn, grow
Learning from the past will help our generation and future ones to grow and be better. That could mean we’re enriched by family or historical traditions that we pass onto our children. Perhaps we might find ourselves able to avoid major conflicts and problems because we know how a similar situation unfolded years ago. We can follow our elders’ lead and make better choices, so as not to repeat history.
No matter how we look at it, the elderly are one of our best assets. It’s up to us to keep them involved in our world and make them feel respected and heard. In the end, we’ll only end up with a mutual appreciation for one another, which is a sentiment humankind can always use more of.
