Connecting the old and the young and everyone in between

We often hear how times are becoming more difficult as society's collective perception of time becomes faster. Within this economy and the interconnectedness in communications from all around the world, competition seems to be increasing. On a surface level, things are much faster and it seems as if those who have the right resources, the right tools, the right network on top of the right attitude will make it out. In my life, I feel now more than ever, the world and humanity is disconnected and divided.

We've begun to forget what it means to be a part of a collective species, humans. And beneath all of this noise, the reigning opportunity for me is Newton's Third Law of motion which I find myself quoting all the time... "for every action there is an equal and opposite reaction."

I look towards the elderly, those who have lived life that may seem so different to that of today. I imagine a time of youth 50 years ago, a time where elderly were more respected than that of today. A time where the glowing wisdom and the well-aged experiences of the elderly were seen as a powerfully redeeming asset to what they perhaps cannot do in their old age, say mobility, vigour and technological capabilities. I fear today's society discredits the elderly far more than the youth 50 years ago did. The unprecedented speeds of an evolving society and short-sightedness can very well go hand in hand. It's in human nature that if we move so fast, we can't see a lot of the things that are in front of us, thereby not appreciating the simplest things. We forget to see, listen and feel compassion that emanates from our heart as we shut it off in hopes to keep up with the rest of society: a concern everyone has but many won't admit to it. Today, everyone wants to be pioneers!

What I find very interesting within this topic of the elderly, is the elderly from migrant backgrounds in a Western society, for example, Australia. The elderly, who were once starry eyed youth who passionately braved to moving to a new country, may not feel the same fire they once had. Why one starts is often very different to why one continues. The combination of the elderly's next generation only knowing what they know, the rapidly advancing speed of society and technology, as well as the inevitable biological fate of old age (deteriorating health) makes for a very easy target for elderly feelings of displacement within where they reside. I hope that the youth of today can understand this.

Like anything in life, there is no absolute answer. The answer I always find myself coming back to after some depth, is to identify the inverse, seek the opposite of what is clear: rinse and repeat. Do things that are different to what you do sometimes. While you are doing what you are doing, pause. Stop. See the beauty of what life has to offer. And if you ever want to feel like slowing down organically, stop and engage in some form of interaction with an elderly. There may be more answers than you think.