By Danielle Rogers
I was having a conversation with my husband the other day about health and wealth inequalities and changes that can be made to better serve our community. I casually mentioned the work our Elder generation has done and how I learned to advocate for myself and others through their good deeds. So many of these wonderful people have transitioned or have their own health concerns that coincide with aging. I realized that the Elders I fondly remember were younger then I am now when they began their social justice work. As I become more engaged in various projects, I realize I have become the Elder.
I was astonished and a bit scared knowing my generation shoulders the responsibility to mentor and learn from our younger brothers and sisters while serving and learning from our Elder brothers and sisters. It is a strange feeling when your age demographic is listed towards the bottom of the survey, or when society no longer considers your age group culturally significant.
In a way I should have been prepared for this realization. I am a part of Generation X, categorized as those born between 1965 and 1980. We are mostly known as the "forgotten generation." We were latchkey kids, faced two recessions during our prime working years and are considered highly self-sufficient and individualistic. I always feel a sense of melancholy with my generation. We were raised at the height of the self help era, watched family sitcoms and exploitative talk shows. Our generation was undefinable; once thought to be lazy and without challenges, our perception has morphed to being highly reliable and, dare I say, pessimistic?
Generation X has seen so much: The rise of the video game era, personal computers, internet usage, recessions, war in the Middle East, terrorist attacks, the rise of the AIDS epidemic, global warming, school shootings, trickle down economics, and much more. We are the generation that saw these things first hand, and our collective memory is long.
I often think of the disciples and how they continued the teachings of Jesus Christ after his crucifixion. The myriad emotions they faced are palpable and their constant fear persisted, as the Roman Government was quick to end any sort of conceived Political Agenda different from their own. How did they keep going? What motivated them? They were at the helm of a ministry that ended in the gruesome death of their beloved teacher, yet we know the ministry continued and survives today.
There is a tipping point in every civilization since its inception where new ideas surround the government, and societal norms are questioned and often evolve. The tipping point for Generation X is now. Our experience and close connection to both the Baby Boomer and Millennial generation helps us understand and create dialogue that can rectify certain qualms and misunderstandings. Our voices need to be a part of the discussion and we can no longer be seen as undefinable or simply languishing into our own inner trials.
Aging is a gift not all are afforded. It can bring confidence and wisdom and stability. Our Elders have set the societal frame but the framework is being redesigned. We, as the new Elders, need to pick up our collective hammer and do what our generation does best, get the work done.
-Rev. Danielle Rogers is Director of Christian Education at Pilgrim