When Did this Happen?

The other day I realized I am now an elder. Many of you reading this are also now elders. This will be multiple part musing on the topic of elders and what we want as our legacy. 

First, what is an elder? One can be elderly without being an elder. Indigenous wisdom teaches us that an elder is a senior member of the community who holds and passes down cultural knowledge, wisdom, and traditions. In the Bible an elder is a mature spiritual leader responsible for governing, guiding, and shepherding G*d’s flock. So being an elder entails a responsibility. What cultural knowledge, wisdom , and traditions do you want to pass on to the next generation? 

There is no clear definition of when one becomes an elder and this will vary for each of us as we are on our own path toward elderhood. Some of us become elderly without becoming an elder. Though I am currently 75, my path to being an elder was a process that I accepted about two years ago when I began thinking of what I want to pass onto others. 

Where are you on your path to being an elder? If you think you are an elder, what have you done and what are you doing to earn the respect of those following us? Have you thought about the role model you want to be for the next generation? 

I will continue with my thoughts on being an elder in future blogs.