Pondering Intergeneration Month

It wasn't until the other day when I saw the Hartford's posts regarding this month of celebration that I even knew it existed; however, I have been encouraging intergenerational relationships at work, at church, and in life for quite some time now. So I decided to do some research to figure out what this whole thing was about and how I could promote it (I was pretty sure I'd want to...).

What is Intergeneration Month?

There is not much information online regarding Intergeneration month, but it seems to have morphed from a designated day (October 1) to a full month in 2012. It was originally launched by an organization called the Intergenerational Foundation whose goal is to "promote intergenerational fairness," and the month has been created to "connect generations and to prompt folks from varying age groups to befriend and learn from each other." Many groups celebrate the month by encouraging followers to complete a variety of activities which promote cross-generational interaction. See below for some ideas that you could implement!

Citations: https://nationaltoday.com/intergeneration-month/

https://www.if.org.uk/about-us/

Why Intergenerational Relationships are Good for us! I am by no means a psychologist, but I can be pretty certain that relationships of any kind are good for the soul. Many people, though, seem to be limited to friendships with people that are only in their age bracket. It makes sense especially for younger individuals who spend most of their time at school with peers their own age. However, I am here to advocate for friendships that span all ages! I believe that these kinds of relationships can be even more special than those with your own peers. So what are some of the benefits of having friendships with those older and younger than you?

1. Perspective - We live our life out of our present context - the place we live, the past we have experienced, the stage of life we fall into, and this can become very limiting on our perspective of life. Listening to those older than you can provide perspective, allowing you to see the ways that your life may be easier than prior generations due to technology. Conversating with those younger than you can allow you to see how far you've come since being their age. Both can be healthy perspective shifts.

2. Wisdom - It may seem obvious that interacting with those greater in age than yourself will provide key advice and wisdom, but I think we more often shy away from accepting their advice when we really should be looking for it! We also can share wisdom with those younger with us, teaching us how to be gentle, vulnerable, and humble. And sometimes, they even give us some wise words in return!

3. Refresh - These relationships are absolute refreshment for me. Spending time with those who are not experiencing your exact day to day struggles and successes may feel like they can't relate, but that is sometimes their greatest strength. If they are retired, you may get a break from having to talk about work stressors. If they are in high school, you may receive momentary relief from your own kids' crazy schedules. You get to jump into a whole variety of experiences and stages of life and find new, different things in common with people which can be so peaceful.

Having friendships with others my own age is wonderful. They are fun and relatable, but those with others older and younger than me are even sweeter.

How you can "celebrate". I hope these reasons have been convincing to you that intergenerational relationships are incredibly valuable, but you may be unsure how to actually find these types of relationships or encourage others who are not your age. Here are some ideas!

1. Volunteer with organizations that directly create intergenerational relationships (nursing homes, Big Brothers/Big Sisters, etc.)

2. Start a 1:1 with a peer on your team that is in a different stage of life than you! (Approach them about a mentorship opportunity or just set up informal connections and seek to learn more about them and share openly about your life.)

3. Find an elderly neighbor that you can serve and also talk to them!

4. Join studies at your church or other religious institution and seek a group that isn't just for individuals your age. (This has been my favorite place to find new friends - we have common values, and we can all provide such wonderful wisdom and advice to each other.)

Let us know in the comments what ways you are seeking intergenerational relationships and what your favorite part about the friendship is!