ELDERS ARE YOUNG

Young are Elders

John 10:10, from the words of Christ: "The thief cometh not but for to steal, to kill and to destroy. I am come that they might have life and that they might have it more abundantly."

Psalm 46:1 "God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble.”

I have rebel roots, I do.

I rebel against the pronouncements that I am no darn good unless I am young, rail thin, and rich. I am an Elder ( 73 in November 2025,) not huge but no longer the rail I was in youth. I am not in debt but also not remotely rich in material goods.

Just WHERE does this pronouncement come from??

Within the soul of each of us remains the timeless desire that we live forever and do not disappear on our expiration date, AKA "death." That is the endless human dream, self included. Poets have certainly spoken of this longing with vigor, as well they should, since poets sometimes can pull back the screen of deception to the blazing light of truth. Eternal life is another subject, which I have discussed before and will continue to do so on another day.

I also totally "get" the dismay of some of the young towards the old. I think each succeeding generation born, has some "issues" with the man and woman who brought them through. My parents were born during World War One, had their youth in the Great Depression of the 1930's and were swept right into World War Two in the 1940’s. I never really discussed much of this with my parents. What tumult...and yet they lived to create me and two brothers, despite all the conflagrations that enveloped their generation.

My Baby Boom generation was in the middle of social chaos and upheaval over societal norms and stability went out the window. The nasty little Vietnam War stomped all over us and took the life of my brother Tommy in 1968. A good part of my dour rebellion of youth was dealing with grief over the unexpected death of my brother. The unfairness of it stayed with me. My generation majorly rebelled against the "way it was" and flung lots of "upset" towards our parents, as if they were 100% the cause of all the mess.

Now as I myself am an Elder, I wish we had not done that, as my parents certainly did the best they could amidst the horrors of financial upheaval and terrible world war.

I see some anger being aimed at Boomers in the same manner. Some of it may be deserved and some is most definitely not deserved. We are individuals, not a bland same “mob.”

I did not have children (two abortions in 1973), I have never been financially well-off, I never formally married and have scrambled to keep the basics afloat for over 50 years. I worked up until age 68. While I understand some anger from youth toward my generation, I did not cause any of this junk. I hardly have a huge retirement account, dripping gold! I have not been much empowered in the material realm. I am a street-smart survivor, living in the past for nearly 40 years in two big cities (Seattle and San Francisco.) I live in the sticks now!

If one is a student of history, I would think they could observe in hindsight, that each generation brings both some good things and some troubles along with them. Even just looking at the hundred years of the twentieth century alone, upheaval seemed to be the core of the entire century. Nothing remained the same. I seriously do not know how humanity has survived all these thousands of years. Fighting, arguing, squabbling, stealing, killing, abusing, hating, messing things up...that is human beings.

Boomers used to have a ridiculous saying, "don't trust anyone over 30." A more stupid saying, one could not create! Yes, Elders can be difficult...but during the Vietnam War protests and the rawness and unpleasant grittiness of the sexual revolution, our rock and roll generation brought much intensity to everything we did. We sang, we marched, we danced like maniacs, we messed things up, we questioned, we battled, we made some bold but unwise statements.

I guess to some degree, each generation does the same thing and we learn as we go along. Getting old is such fun!! (deepest of all sarcasms…)

I do not want to fight young people...as I may gently remind them, Elders used to be YOUNG. I remember a song from a rock band from the 1980s. The band was called The Godfathers. They did a searing song called " Birth, School, Work, Death." I recommend this song, as well as one other I will mention in a moment. The relentless wheel of life involves birth, growing up, an education-speeding-freight train, a world of work overwhelming you and demanding your fealty, possible marriage and parenthood, getting older, retiring from formal work and leaving the world. It truly can be a roaring and unstoppable ride. I understand the sadness and primal upset of this song. I certainly felt the same thing in my younger days.

My heart remains empathetic for the sadness of youth...under pressure from all sides, seeking where they fit in, struggling with work and money demands, fighting off expectations to be ultra cool above all else. It leads to sadness. It does not fulfill the empty heart. Just WHO tells you to do all these things??

As a rebel, I get it. I rebelled and ended up with some unpleasant repercussions to my unwise actions. I still hate being told what to do...but I have little in the realm of alternative to it. I still react with too much emotion and my inner pejorative to “remove thyself from my presence, posthaste." ( You KNOW the swearing phrase I mean and no, I will not relate it...)

I can certainly bark, but have not much bite except to remove myself from the offender (posthaste!)

Good grief, how have I survived to Elder age???

This must be a Papa God PLOT! I surely did not have the desire or stamina to live this long...and NO, I am not stoned on any substace! Gee, I must be high on life itself ! (groan... and more sarcasm!)

I would say to young people, please don't give up ...you have gifts that are needed in this world, you have good work to do that satisfies your soul and contributes your own uniqueness. Hold fast! Don’t think you don’t matter!!

At the opposite end of the spectrum in a sorrowful, poignant and yet hopeful song, I also recommend "Sorrow" by Bad Religion. What a formidable song of longing...and I thoroughly "get it." Listen to the lyrics of both songs, they have some deep wisdom in them.

From my own youth, I was terrified of getting older and the PUSH to NEVER LOOK OLD began early. This, in my inimitable Blunt Oregon Girl strident opinion...is ALL BUNK. This is an entire universe of demands and I will speak more of that in another post. I know, I know...the pressure is immense, especially for females. Creams, plastic surgery, do this, do that, wear this, always be sexually available...ENOUGH. I always say, I EARNED every line and white hair and I refuse to apologize for it. Getting older is NOT A MORAL FAILURE, any more than being young is just sheer perfection. It is not. It is the same roaring road of “Learn by doing and avoid that pit right in front of you!” Yes, you bet I have fallen into some pits and that is how you learn...by doing (more sarcasm)...but some pain is a good teacher, yes??

Yes, take care of yourself, in body, mind, soul and spirit. Yes, try to stay reasonably fit and healthy, don't bake too much in the sun, avoid smoking cigarettes, avoid too much alcohol or drugs, eat well, don't fool around in sexual sin...I heard it all and I broke many of those rules, to my dismay and fouled and predictable results. At the very least, allow the older generation show you "what not to do" and learn from our PAINFUL results, as this might spare you some suffering, K?? I see no reason for young people to suffer what my generation did! I do see your tears!! That can be one benefit of having Grandparents as well.

Stop flinging projectiles at one another. Elders were YOUNG, you know...and some Youth are very OLD. Correct? I was certainly deadly serious in youth...full of grief, full of anger, full of frustration. None of those emotions did the trick. Trust me, I certainly tried…but to no avail.

My solution? Cast the entire mess on the shoulders of the One Who made you...God.

He actually knows ALL this gnarly stuff. He does not scold, lecture, hector, harangue or even say "I told you so!" He lets you have your sorrowful angry rant...until you have emptied yourself. Then He tells you things you did not know. It's a good deal and can save you a world of hurt and awful emotional pain. I am not simplistic, this is hard, but it can be done even an inch at a time.

Imagine that? No hauling this heavy bag of garbage around! God can pick it up, throw it far away and can lift the burden off you fully, if you will allow Him to.

This is not easy but certainly better than hauling the ancient weight of worry and condemnation like Sisyphus did that boulder up that endless hill.

God has broad shoulders, He is immensely strong, He can carry things too heavy for us...as He leads us to better things. Grab His Hand, ask for help moment by moment, accept His free gift of salvation and partnership and relationship and fellowship! There is nothing like it!

In closing, I would offer the following short suggestions to youth today:

1. Don't do what I did in my youth!! (Promiscuity, profanity, breaking from God, heavy drug use).

2. Cast all burdens off onto God every single day, ask Him for help/

3. Keep your heart and spirit clear in daily repentance, so you do not feel burdened

4. Find the gifts God has given you, those things that with ease, resonate with your spirit, things you do well and are naturally blessed to do. If you can manifest a work experience with your gifts, even better, even if it is self-employment. Don't pour your life into an employer who may not appreciate your skills. Use them for your own good and to flow off onto others.

Wendy Elizabeth Williams, Friday, August 1, 2025 The dog days of summer begin....

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