Harriman High School
Harriman, Tennessee

Teacher: Nancy Newcomb

 

 

ELDERS Versus YOUNGSTERS

By Audrey Howell

Grade:10

           

The biggest problem I find around my community of Harriman, Tennessee is the fear and disdain the younger generations and the older generations have against each other. In my personal opinion, the elder generation thinks that our younger generations are delinquents and bad influences and people to the new generations because of the way we act and dress. On the other hand, our younger generations feel that the elder generation is boring, crazy, senile, and scary because most can't live on their own and they've never, or so they claim, experienced some of the things we experience today.

           

I admit, I used to be scared to death of older people such as the ones in the nursing homes. I couldn't stand to be in the same room with these people who couldn't function on their own nor do anything. Most were just looking for a place to belong and someone to belong to. I couldn't watch them, half not knowing what they are doing. I wanted to run away from that place and never go back.

           

I encountered a past experience with my fear last spring at a local nursing home in my town of Harriman. My church youth choir group decided it would be nice to give them a little performance since they could not go to church anymore. I wanted to run outside and not go back. I faced my fears and went back in. During the performance I saw their faces light up with joy and some were even clapping and trying to sing along. After the program they came up to us and started talking about what they used to do when they were young, their hobbies and interests. I found out that many of my interests were the same as theirs.

             

Both generations fail to realize what common interests they have and that makes it harder for them to communicate with each other. Also, the two generations have a lack of respect for one another as well. Our younger generations just think that, "Oh well, you have no idea what I am going through and times were different when you were growing up," when in fact, they have lived longer than we, have more knowledge about things, and have experienced most of the situations and predicaments in which we may often find ourselves today such as dealing and experimenting with drugs, sexually behaviors and others. What the older generations also fail to realize it that the younger generations could also teach them a thing or two about what goes on during these times today

           

There are many ways in which to help get rid of the fear and disdain we experience. One way to do so, is to do what my church trip did, visit a local nursing home with your church group or just go alone. Share some of your interests and let them share some of theirs. If you see an elder in a store or even walking down the street , be polite, ask to help them with their groceries or help them walk across the road. Do not push them out of the way as you would do with a dog. For elders who are shut-ins, offer to do yard work, help clean their home or do errands for them. Over-all,take what they say into consideration, it may become useful in the future.

           

Every now and then on the television, there are news reports and talk shows about younger generation people physically and mentally abusing and beating elders. This is why they are so afraid. They don't know who is capable of doing what. The sweetest looking person could be the most violent. Why and how could people be this cruel? They can't help that they are getting older. The thing that surprises me is the nurses, who are supposed to care, help and treat these people are some of the ones that are beating them. The younger generations do not seem to realize that eventually, they too will end up the same way-in fear. As the saying goes, 'What goes around, comes around', the younger generation will not be able to tell who is the one that will be abused physically and verbally. When that day comes, they'll be defenseless and knows what and how it will feel like.

           

On a upper note, away from all the downers, there are good qualities that go unnoticed. Your grandparents are elders. They are there for you when your parents may not. When you have history reports due, most of the elders have lived through the Depression and World War 2.

 

QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS

 

 

1. The Manus contributed financially. Many love God and them love themselves and each other second.

            Moral Character

            Values

            Stability

            Married for Communication

 

2 Couple One-

   7 years- love and commitment for not only their relationship with God, but also with the relationship with their children.

 

   Couple Two-

    23 years-

    Communication is the key to a good relationship

 

   Couple Three-

   2 years-

    Love for each other. Make sure you are with the right one before committing to each other.

 

   Couple Four-

   30 years-

    Don't take love for granted. Honesty and communication are the key for a good relationship.

 

   Couple Five-

   11 years-

   Their children and love for one another keep not only their marriage together, but also their family.

 

    Couple Six-

    24 years-

    Saying those three words that everyone loves to hear everyday-make sure you are hearing it from the right person.

 

3. Our collective goal should be growth and stability

 

4. My goal for our community is to cut down on the drug abuse that gives our community of Harriman a bad name.

 

5.I think that the idea of the toy industries making dolls for kids to remind them of their mothers is a good idea because most children latch on to their mother in times of need and despair.

 

6. It helps lawyers to have law in addition to markets and morals: democracy, diversity, wealth and size.

 

7. I prefer the punitive damages because like Kathleen Sullivan said, do we really want to go through the regulation.

 

8. There would be no more neglecting of their personal lives. There would also be less divorces due to the fact of the neglecting of their personal lives.

 

9. I don't think that it is making an impact. There are so many children overseas that we can't help no matter how hard we try. Our economy puts itself first so that we can survive.

 

10 Cathy and Lewis started out with very little money, but they were both very hard working and determined. They both had programs for children who didn't have anything and no one. They both also gave up their money to help these children.