Wonder What Dad Would Say?
I opened my iPad this morning to read the following inspirational thought. When I finished the passage, I closed my eyes, smiled and mentally thanked my Dad for entering my heart in this way on this day. April 19 marks the date, four years ago when God brought him home.
I’d give anything to talk to my Dad today. I’d ask him what he thought of what’s going on in Boston. I’d wait to hear him take that slow deep breath he always took before saying something profound knowing what would come next would be simple perspective gained from life long-lived.
I love when I’m presented with what I’ve come to call, “God Nods”; opportunities for me to stop, pay attention and know a moment of recognition is before me. For today, I’m recognizing how fortunate I am to honor those who have walked this world before me.
———————————————————————–
Embracing the Disinherited
In tribal cultures, the elderly play an important role. They are the keepers of the tribe’s memories and the holders of wisdom. As such, the elderly are honored and respected members of tribes. In many modern cultures, however, this is often not the case. Many elderly people say that they feel ignored, left out, and disrespected. This is a sad commentary on modernization, but it doesn’t have to be this way. We can change this situation by taking the time to examine our attitudes about the elderly and taking action.
Modern societies tend to be obsessed with the ideas of newness, youth, and progress. Scientific studies tell us how to do everything – from the way we should raise our kids to what we need to eat for breakfast. As a result, the wisdom that is passed down from older generations is often disregarded. Of course, grandparents and retired persons have more than information to offer the world. Their maturity and experience allows for a larger perspective of life, and we can learn a lot from talking to elderly people. It’s a shame that society doesn’t do more to allow our older population to continue to feel productive for the rest of their lives, but you can help to make change. Perhaps you could help facilitate a mentorship program that would allow children to be tutored by the elderly in retirement homes. The elderly make wonderful storytellers, and creating programs where they could share their real life experiences with others is another way to educate and inspire other generations.
Take stock of your relationships with the elderly population. Maybe you don’t really listen to them because you hold the belief that their time has passed and they are too old to understand what you are going through. You may even realize that you don’t have any relationships with older people. Try to understand why and how our cultural perception of the elderly influences the way you perceive them. Look around you and reach out to someone who is elderly – even if you are just saying hello and making small talk. Resolve to be more aware of the elderly. They are our mentors, wise folk, and the pioneers that came before us and paved the way for our future.
http://www.dailyom.com/
Alison's Insights 