All over Africa, elders are respected and trusted – as mediators, facilitators and repositories of knowledge and wisdom. Indeed, in African societies, the elders are considered to be vast reservoirs of the collective wisdom that has been accumulated over time.

Respect for the wisdom, knowledge, grace and fortitude of our elders should come naturally, but this isn’t always the case. Sometimes we need reminding of why it’s so important to respect our elders for their ability to help ease our journey through life.

How to show respect

    • Take care not to fall into the trap of assuming that “older” means “outdated”. No matter a person’s age, he/she is still a unique individual, with the same values, gifts and flaws as anyone else.
    • Be considerate towards older people. For example: Stand when an older person needs a seat, do it with grace, not because the person is older than you are but because he/she matters as a human being; do not shout at an elderly person assuming that he/she is deaf or stupid as not all old people are deaf and, if anything, older people are much wiser than you are and may have several good tips for improving your way of living; when driving and elderly person somewhere, ask him/her where he/she would like to sit and help him/her in and out of the car; acknowledge older people during conversations; and stand when an older person enters the room or comes to your table in a restaurant. Help him/her to be seated if needed.
    • Ask if an older person wants help. Never assume that an older person doesn’t know how to do something and don’t give unwanted advice.
    • Take time to talk to people much older than you are. Ask them to give their impressions of how the world has (or hasn’t) changed and how they’d like the future to be. Believing that the future lies only with the youth lets you to forget the valuable lessons that older people can teach. Old people have seen and experienced things that you may never know or may be decades away from learning. By listening to their stories, you can learn a lot, discover things you never knew and perhaps even find a great new friend and confidante. Above all, seek to make connections that resonate with you both; this is the highest form of respect for another person.

Persevere politely

Be compassionate if your attempts to engage with an elderly person are met with gruffness, anger, annoyance or a rebuff. An unfriendly exterior is usually a way of dealing with emotions such as pain, years of intolerance and frustration.

 

Sources
www.sagoodnews.co.za
www.wikihow.com