Respecting the Elderly
For Christmas a dear friend gave me a copy of The Wisdom of Wolves by Jim and Jamie Dutcher. The Dutchers have devoted much of their lives to studying and photographing wolves. Throughout this book they share lessons they have learned from wolves over the years. In one chapter Jamie Dutcher writes about the important role elderly wolves play in the life of the pack. She believes “the presence of elders is what shapes the very character of a wolf pack” and that “the soul and wisdom of the pack lives in its elders.” The Dutchers cite evidence that the presence of older wolves are necessary for the survival of packs. Jamie also concludes that the same is true with humans and society in general. She writes: “In the developed world, where we prize youth and vigor, always looking toward the next technological advance and all too eager to forget the past, the elderly are often marginalized. We tend to think of our senior citizens as a group that needs to be cared for but not necessarily venerated. How often do we acknowledge our elders as ones who remember history firsthand, as the holders of knowledge and experience, as the keepers of our culture?” In another passage she says “If we don’t look to our elders, we ignore our history and shared experience, and we end up repeating the same mistakes over and over again. If we truly cherish the young and let our elders be our teachers, we can break the cycle of ignorance and grow together.”
I believe, with the Dutchers, that we do indeed have much to learn from wolves. If nothing else we can learn from them the importance of respecting and honoring the elderly of our society. The Scriptures certainly teach us the same lesson. Job 12:12 says “Wisdom is with the aged, and understanding in length of days.” Leviticus 19:32 says “Stand up in the presence of the elderly, and show respect for the aged.” In 1 Peter 5:5 young men are encouraged to “be submissive to those who are older.” In numerous passages children are exhorted to honor or respect their parents.
As we come to the end of one year (and decade) and prepare to begin another, I would suggest that one resolution we might all make is to give more respect to our elders. They truly do have much to teach and offer us. In humility let us learn from their wisdom. Let us strive to give them the dignity they deserve. Wolves are wise enough to recognize the importance of doing so. Are we?
–Chuck
I took the pictures shown above at Yellowstone National Park.