DON'T DISCOUNT THE SENIORS.. they are treasures!!

Am I a baby boomer or a millennial or a Gen Z or a whatchamacallit? I am clueless and all that I know is that I was born in 1963 and that's all there is to it! The other thing I know for sure is that I am a senior citizen.. and very happy to be one!

You're obviously wondering what this blog is about.. so let me tell you.. I was chatting with a friend last week and she was more than a little hassled with a senior. citiizen in her family.. She happened to mention the phrase "This generation can't handle it when they come up against someone who's smarter than they are" and that instantly irked me and set me thinking..

We were discussing someone who is 90+ years of age and I had all these thoughts.. How quickly do we judge seniors? How ready are we to discount and dismiss their words and wishes in the blink of an eye? How reluctant are we to understand them and try to look at their point of view .. especially when it happens to be different from ours?

Let me use my own father as an example to illustrate what I mean.. He was an extremely intelligent man but in his twilight years.. slowed down a little mentally and physically.. could be extremely stubborn at times and unreasonable to deal with.. but incredibly generous loving and kindhearted most of the time!

There were times when I felt he didn't WANT to understand or look at a situation from my perspective and that was irritating as hell.. but in retrospect.. it was MY ego thinking that I was right and it HAD to be what I said!

This was a person who started from scratch and struggled to buy his own house in a well constructed building that was conveniently located in a prime area in Mumbai! It wasn't easy for a salaried man to do that.. and it called for a lot of sacrifices which he made very happily in order that his family should be comfortable safe and happy! He never once mentioned the sacrifices to us but I know for sure that they existed and were made!

We would make plans to go out for dinner or a movie and at the last minute he would refuse saying he wasn’t up to it! What did I think of? The time I had spent booking the tickets online.. or the difficulty I had had making the reservation.. again.. it was all about ME! Maybe he was genuinely unwell.. or the movie reminded him of something he wanted to forget.. or he was anxious and awkward about using an unfamiliar bathroom.. and I couldn’t see that!

When we were getting some renovation done in the house he would ask (seemingly) trivial questions about what cement was bring used.. or whether the bathroom fittings were made of brass (to avoid rusting) and seeing where we could save some money.. while I was only looking at the aesthetics of the whole thing! So many of those questions come back to me.. and I am flooded with memories about his attention to detail and his wide understanding of so many things people and situations in life..

He spent days on doing so much research before making investments and the benefits came to us in the form of meals at fancy restaurants.. nice clothes and generous holidays! Did all this happen magically? It was all the honest reward to the blood sweat and tears of one man who worked so diligently for so many years.. Am I anyone to judge him?

Whether it was sorting out disagreements within the family.. or how to negotiate a good salary at work.. or how to make the most delicious hand-churned ice cream at home.. he always had a solution for every problem! That was because he always TOOK TIME.. to think things through.. look at it from everyone's point of view.. and then do what was ultimately fair and right to all..

We (the people of my age and younger) are often looking for "quick fixes" and like to believe we know it ALL.. but I would like to make a case for all the 80+ and 90+ people I know here..

Let's keep in mind that they have seen a lot more than we ever will in our lives.. are much wiser.. have faced struggles that we never will.. understand relationships commitment and love without the irrelevant "add-ons" of Valentine's Day.. have the most amazing stoties to tell.. and are storehouses of a wealth of wisdom that we should tap into at every possible opportunity!

A wise person once said that the best classroom in the world is at the feet of an elderly person and that is so true.. so let us put aside our egos.. and get from them those time-honoured life lessons.. the tried and tested recipes.. the unique character building traits and learn to cherish the simple joys of life as they have always done!

However successful you may be.. however much money you make.. wherever you may live and whatever you may do.. always be patient and do remember to ALWAYS honour and respect the seniors.. Never discount and dismiss them lightly.. they are absolute treasures! THEIR blessings are what remain with us long after they leave us so please cherish them today!

Thank you as always for reading and please remember to share your name at the beginning or end of your comment (should you choose to write one)!