Respecting people of other ages

This morning, in reading the Rule of Benedict by Joan Chittister, as my morning meditation (I almost typed medication -- and it is that!) "Whenever members meet, the junior asks the elder for a blessing." Such a marvelous courtesy. The younger ones are to offer the elder members a seat. Benedict observes that this courteous interaction between old and young manifests Romans 12:10:  "They should each try to be the first to show respect for the other."

Do we show respect for the elderly these days? Time was when we were taught to give up our seats to elderly folk. To open doors for them. To run errands for them. If a teacher should ask our class for an example of a good deed, we would first of all respond, "Walk an old woman across the street."

The other day I was at the gym. Though I sport silver hair, I'm blessed with good health and no frailties. Still, it annoys me when a younger person competes with me for some "prize." It happened there in the jacuzzi. We have many nice flowing jets, but there is one that is so forceful it is "therapeutic." They are so helpful to the tender spots on my hips! I was just coming from swimming and removing my fins. A young man approached, and seeing me pulling off my fins, hurried to jump into the otherwise empty jacuzzi to get the hot spot before me.

Worse, he sat there the whole time-- most other folk will stay there five minutes or so and give up the lathery whirlpool. But no -- having won the race against me I had not entered, he now pretended I did not exist. Aren't I lucky, I thought, that though I am in my 60s and he in his 30s, he needs this therapeutic water more than I?

Take one moment today to seek the "blessing" of an older person. They so appreciate it -- and so many have much to give.