First, let me say that I love the holiday season. But, as Christmas approaches and we are inundated with advertisements and messages to
spend wildly, it’s worth taking a break for elder wisdom. In the Legacy Project, over and over the elders told us that people and experiences matter more than things. In hundreds of interviews, they unanimously caution that time spent getting a lot more stuff than you really need is time wasted. The holidays seem like the right time to listen to our elders and think twice about how much we buy.
Steve, 78, tells how he learned to put material rewards in perspective, focusing instead on the accumulation of love for family and friends. As I’m planning my Christmas shopping, I try to keep his lesson in my head!
We were among the very lucky ones. Both my wife and I were born into middle class merchant families, with caring parents in small communities where you knew and were known by your neighbors. My wife lost her father when she was only 13. She, her mother and sister moved to another, beautiful small community where life was comfortable though not luxurous and values for the young were set by the example of parent and community. My childhood with loving parents and an older brother was uncomplicated and also filled with good values set by example. Owning and accumulating was not an important part of life for either of our families.
This upbringing undoubtedly established most of our values and attitudes for the adult years. Honesty, integrity and compassion for ones fellow human beings remained the anchor for all decisions. As we matured, reared and educated four children and attempted to pass along those values to them, we learned that listening is far more important than lectures, and though it sometimes seemed we were not heard, the example of our lives spoke loudly to our youngsters.
Now, at 71 and 78, as we progress through our senior years, living comfortably — not luxurously — we are increasingly aware that accumulating STUFF is of little importance. The accumulation of love for each other, of our children and of life-long friends and extending that love to those less fortunate than we have been is the centerpiece of our lives, of humanity and civilization.
This is wonderful advice – I follow the same line, cutting down on the gifts, the material aspect of Christmas. BUT I saw that Steve and his wife grew up in a middle class/comfortable home – loving homes. That can make a big difference. I’ve some who had difficult, sometimes abusive childhoods who seem to spend way too much as a way to make up for their poorer childhoods. If only they knew – the Christ child is the gift… indeed he is.
Hello!
I saw that Steve and his wife grew up in a middle class/comfortable home-loving homes. This upbringing undoubtedly established most of our values and attitudes for the adult years. I’m planning my Christmas shopping, I try to keep his lesson in my head.