As a small child, I loved nothing more than to snuggle up to my mommy in her bed whenever I got a chance. It was usually when my father would be away for a few days at a conference or whatever. Now he was gone. Dead at the age of 85 from a combination of Alzheimer’s and heart, he wouldn’t be returning. When it had become apparent that mom and dad could no longer function on their own, I had built an apartment for them at one end of my home. It worked well because I was able to run [...]

My mom died at home. As I was singing to her, holding her hand, I became aware of the unique bond I shared with my grandmother. As my mom entered the world, 96 years before, my grandmother held her sweet little newborn hand. Ninety-six years later, I held the same precious hand, now worn and lined from all those years of caring for us. Legacy links.

Legacy is often more about what we live than what we give. :)

I just posted a guest blog on Jane Twohey's blog. It's called "A Good Thing." http://www.cmomcry.blogspot.com/

Parents were generally more accessible to kids back in the day. Although texting may give more direct access than ever before, the communication levels are different. What parent has an in-depth conversation, imparting values to a child via texting? The communication of values and insight need real face time. Seniors who have time to listen to a young person and share face-to-face can be like gold in bringing understanding to life.

The barriers between generations have robbed every age group of the benefits of inter-generational interaction. Texting has replaced talking and Facebook has become the new living-room of interaction. The voices of seniors without these skills are being muted. Unless we take steps to strengthen the links between generations, the new ways people communicate will widen the gap irretrievably. The wisdom of our elders are the wells from which we draw understanding, knowledge and warnings against repeating the evil elements of history. We must find a way to open these wells and give our young people opportunities to drink deeply from [...]

It's easy to feel a disconnect between the generations because society has become segregated by age. With age-segregated schools, parental work obligations and senior housing developments, people have to make a conscious effort to get together - or it just doesn't happen. Gone are the days when the wisdom of the elders was communicated naturally around a dinner table. Gone are the days when teens were available to keep seniors up to date with new trends and methods of communication.Rediscovering the connection between generations can be priceless for both.