A couple of months ago, a relative and I were discussing the inevitable that is aging. One thing she said that really stuck in my mind was, "When you get older, there are few things that you truly desire." What did she mean by that? Well, think about it. If you’ve crossed off most of the items on your bucket list and accumulated your fair share of material possessions, then what is it that you desire?
To share your wealth of knowledge with the younger generations.
The sad thing, though, is that we young people sometimes make fun of our elders for their constant storytelling. “Not another ‘back in my day story,’ please,” we sigh with an eye roll. But after living a full, memorable life, wouldn’t you too want to share your stories?
I believe that if we stop and pay attention to what our elders have to say, we may learn something truly valuable -- something that we may want to share with future generations. Last week, I interviewed a group of senior citizens in my community. I asked them to share some of their best advice for the younger generations -- specifically millennials. And their outlook may actually surprise you.
“I think [millennials] are great," said Sue, 84. "They’re smart -- most of them are much more intelligent than we give them credit for. I remember my grandparents saying, ‘I don’t know what’s happening to this generation,’ and that was 70 years ago. And now we’re saying it, and our children will say it. I think it’s all relative."
This may be true, but a little guidance never hurts. So here are some sage words of wisdom from 10 more elders in my community that we should all take to heart.
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Take these to heart. Let them inspire you. And remember, make sure to seek out wisdom from the elders in your life. They'll appreciate you connecting with them more than you'll ever know.