Spirituality

Relationship Between the Youth and the Aged

Both the young and the aged have their respective abilities. The young are physically strong and full of enthusiasm to try doing new things. While the aged have abilities based on experience and wisdom. The young must respect old men, and in turn the old men must appreciate the youth for their abilities based on physical strength and efforts to learn new things in life. Thus, both should use their qualities for service towards each other. If this is put to practice the gulf between the young and the old would be leveled, and this world would be a glorious place to live in.

A positive attribute of young men is their physical strength and stamina. The young man's strength is based on the high blood levels of the growth hormone (GH), and testosterone released by the endocrine glands between the age of 18 and 35 years. The skeletal muscles in the body mature during this period, and the man can run fast, and lift heavy weights. He recovers quickly after strenuous physical activity. This prime phase is followed by a decline in hormone level(s) after the age of 40. The efficiency of the body is lowered with advancing age. Such a decline is also mentioned in the Bible (Eccles 12:1) "So remember your Creator while you are young, before those dismal days and years come when you will say, I don't enjoy life".

Old men in contrast begin acquiring certain things in life during their 30s and 40s, and that is wisdom. This wisdom at times is not duly appreciated by the youth. Wisdom is a combination of mental and emotional maturity based on experience. Simultaneously there is a decline in strength and stamina, but the knowledge and understanding of life as such is on the rise. At time this amuses the young men, and they mock the aged for their odd behaviour. In the Bible Job said, "With the ancient is wisdom, and in length of days understanding". Sometimes the older men and women ridicule the youth for their foolishness forgetting their days when they were young. J.K Rowling mentions, "Youth cannot know how age thinks and feels. But old men are guilty if they forget what it was to be young".  (Ref: Harry Potter and the order of the Phaenix).

Therefore, the young men should respect the older men for their experience and wisdom. While the older men should appreciate the young men who are capable of doing things they can no longer do. But young men must avoid over enthusiasm. They must seek godliness in their life pattern. "The glory of the young men is their strength; but the beauty of old men is the gray hair" (Proverbs 20:29).

17-Sep-2017

More by :  Dr. Frank S. K. Barar


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