What Seniors Can Teach Us About Living a Simple Life
In today’s modern society, everyone moves at a break-necking pace and tried-and-true life lessons are often lost in the shuffle. When you talk to a senior, they’ll be the first to tell you about living a simple life and how the good old days were better. We often dismiss these stories as a bygone age, but, just maybe, there’s something to these stories. Below are 3 life lessons from the “golden age” that we should all follow.
Simple Life Lesson #1: Kindness is Key; Treat Others the Way You’d Like to Be Treated
There is so much media attention these days on violence. From school shootings to internet bullying, it seems like it is commonplace for people to be violent to one another. Seniors can remind us daily that kindness and empathy are priceless the old adage stays true – Treat others as you’d like to be treated. And kindness is easy. Offer a warm smile, actively listen when someone is talking to you, offer a helping hand. These tasks are simple but incredibly kind and can often turn around someone else’s day.
Simple Life Lesson #2: Cultivate Friendship
As adults – life gets so hectic that we sometimes forget to routinely catch up with friends or to offer a friendly message (even if it is just a text these days). Seniors remind us that keeping up with friends is important and that the friends that you choose to keep are usually the ones who care about you for your entire life.
When life gets hard it’s essential to have someone to lean on and talk to, especially if family is not nearby. Friends not only help you navigate tough times, but they can also have mental and physical health benefits.
Simple Life Lesson #3: Tell Your Story
Reminiscing with family and friends is a favourite pastime for seniors, and for good reason. Capturing and sharing your life and family story is a chance to pass along wisdom to younger generations and strengthen bonds with family and friends. Further, it gives you an opportunity for self-reflection and an understanding of who you are. Stories are an opportunity to connect with each other and share our emotions, passions, and life lessons.
Take for example this story by Rose:
When Rose was born in 1911, the pop-up toaster was still eight years away from being invented, the average salary was $750 a year and life expectancy for women was just under 52 years. In her younger years, she enjoyed cooking homemade meatballs and gnocchi for her family, and, according to her nephew, Vince, Rose is “known for her lemon pies and macaroni and cheese.” She was also an avid dancer, and today, she still has affection for music. Her favourite dances are the Charleston, Shimmy, and the Jitterbug.
Rose needed Carer help to stay in the comfort of her home. She maintained her independence to remain in her home until she was 104 years old. Both Rose and Vince expressed appreciation to keep her independence plus remain active and social all these years. What’s her secret to her longevity? “Be happy and do things for yourself,” she says with a smile.
When you hear the phrases “in the good old days” and “in my day….”, stop and listen, they may be teaching you more than you think.