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I have observed a stereotype that older adults talk about the past with the evaluation that they do so too much. When someone is 80 years old, they have a lot more past behind them than future in front of them.
Personally, I enjoy talking to people who have skill sets
and a knowledge base that I do not have. It’s fascinating to hear people report on time
periods, places, and events that I have never experienced. Older adults function like living libraries.
I have worked in higher education for over four decades, and
I have noticed that young adults tend to talk a lot about the future. They can
spend a lot of time sharing their plans on what they are going to do. They have a lot more future in front of them
than past behind them.
Over the years, the age difference between the traditional
college-aged student and my age has widened gradually. I could be impatient
about the blueprints they have to build castles—seemingly in the air. However,
I learn a lot about the rising generation and some of the growth industries and
technologies that I have not studied. Young
adults are the stewards of the future, including my future. If I live long
enough to achieve frailty, I will be dependent to a large degree on people younger than I.