Torch, Fall 1986

the many times I set aside to read and share a story or adventure with our children and their children. If we senior adults live many miles from our relatives , naturally we must adopt a different approach. The times shared are not as frequent , but there are other ways to compensate. I write letters and send cards to my grandchildren. I send books as special gifts. The telephone is a good medium for showing we care about the spec ial events in grandchildren ' s lives. Perhaps we cannot attend their recitals or athletic events , but we can telephone our encouragement. Our grandchildren come in the summer for week– long visits. They learn crafts such as cross stitch, latch hook , and knitting and enjoy trips to museums and other local attractions. As our budget permits, we introduce them to the various cultural experiences provided by different kinds of restaurants and tearooms . friends to establish a respect for money. We can teach them to give and to save from their funds and not to always expect their giving to the Lord to be furnished from parents' funds . Incidentally, senior adults without families of their own can have a ministry in the lives of children. I have a good friend, a single lady , who has little parties for girls. They play games , bake cookies, and the children take their goodies home. The children learn to enjoy a special relationship with people other than their peers. We senior citizens need to watc h our speech in the presence of young people. They will observe our reaction to friends and to Christian workers. We must always set an example and try not to project a negative attitude . Our daily living should show no deviation from the truth. I tell ladi es at retreats and banquets that there is still a young girl inside me. Although the "house" I live in is aging, I am still the same inside . Yet sometimes we senior adults feel like a piece of the woodwork when some youth brushes past us. Well, we can just dust ourselves off and make it a point to teach our offspring to appreciate older people , We can help them not to categorize people by age but rather to accept people of all ages as those from whom they can draw knowledge. Respect for old age is a lost art in some circles . Our privileges as seniors, whether within a household or long-distance , are endless. When we consider those little ones God has sent our way, we need to pray for wisdom. Then, as we are happy, well– adjusted senior family members , we can portray through our lives the Christ-li keness we wish to pass on to future generations. Marabeth Elmore is a popular speaker at women ' s meetings and retreats. She has 2 children , 5 gra ndchildren , and 3 great grand– children. "It would be tragic not to pass along 70 or 80 years ofknowledge and skills. " 9