Let’s celebrate our elders.

In the U.S. culture, we don’t really celebrate our elders like other cultures.  This is something we all need to work together to change for the betterment of our society.

It is truly a treasure to have someone in your life that can share their wisdom with you, especially when you are having difficult moments or are at a crossroads.

Our elders, related or not, have a special type of wisdom, groundedness and love that only come from living through all that life throws at us.  Those who choose to share these gifts are a true blessing. 

They are the ones that check on you at random times just because.  They are the ones who make the time to sit in the garden, on the porch or at the kitchen table and talk to you. They share their stories, their recipes, their remedies and the secrets of their resilience.

They help raise and educate our children.  They create beautiful home-cooked meals for friends and family, and even deliver them to the new moms, the sick, the grieving and the lonely in our communities.  They watch our pets and houses when we are away.  They lend an extra hand when we are at our wits end, and are our physical and emotional safety nets when life takes unanticipated turns.

They are the ultimate nurturers in our society. They give to everyone else, and don’t ask for things themselves or go without to make the lives of their loved ones better.

These are the people we should celebrate.  We should do everything in our power to make it as easy as possible for them to continue to live their lives freely, to be independent, to age gracefully, and to impart lessons from their own experiences for the enrichment and benefit of all of us that follow in their footsteps.