I once asked my college students, "What gets better with age?" There was a prolonged silence. It was so quiet you could hear a fly's knees bend.
During a recent march in Duluth, people carried signs protesting racism, sexism, homophobia, xenophobia, religious intolerance, classism and even something called "alism." Age discrimination didn't make the list.
In 2007, the Duluth Superior Area Community Foundation chose 31 "creative catalysts" from a pool of applicants to participate in a think-tank workshop with social economist Richard Florida. Fewer than five of the participants were older than 50. Apparently the foundation felt people lose their creative juices with age. The
31 anointed ones built artistic bike racks, broke bread and held meetings, but they failed to see the connection between healthy aging and reduced medical costs. They ignored working with seniors to create jobs for graduates, and they missed the opportunity to set up mentoring between young and old lions.
More than 300 senior citizens attend the University for Seniors at the University of Minnesota Duluth. Faculty at this institution could explore this living laboratory with their students. First, faculty members need to open their office doors and look outward. The belief that energy and innovation is the exclusive domain of the young is a myth that undermines society. Perspective deepens with age and experience and so does patience with the advent of grandchildren. Maturation makes it easier to see relationships and build bridges. Age teaches us how to learn from failure, regroup and focus on what is most important.
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Gary Gordon
Duluth
