My husband and I spent all day yesterday traveling from Geneva, Switzerland to Florida. To our surprise, customs and the ride between terminals went rapidly so we were left with a rather long transfer time in New York. We decided to go into a sit-down restaurant to get some non-airplane food to eat. It was an experience that made me wonder if my outlook is out-of-date.

Although someone did come over to see if we needed help ordering, he was not there to take our order. Instead, standing in front of each of us was an iPad and we were expected to order on them! When we ordered and wished to pay cash, we were promptly told that the restaurant took no cash!  Luckily we keep our credit cards for special needs. – This was a special need!

We then settled down to wait for our food. The only difficulty was that the two iPads in special holders made it impossible to see each other and have a conversation. Instead, we found ourselves staring at an iPad inviting us to surf the web.

Hmm. Is this a sign that I am not with it? Yes, I am older and part of a different generation from the younger ones who thrive on such eating spots. Not only do you not need to have a conversation, the system is also set up so each person can order and pay separately. – Yes, there was a separate place for each to swipe our cards.

At the risk of sounding out of date, I will say that I personally still love to sit across from someone I can see and with whom I can have a direct conversation. So be it! My age-esteem is alive. I will still have my dinner conversations while others share theirs with an iPad.

Generational Differences Are Unavoidable

Generational differences have always existed. Just look back and ask yourself questions about how your views and way of operating were different from your parents and grandparents. If you had conflicts with either generation, what were these disagreements based on? – And not just when you were a teen-ager. Also look at your own adult years.

Differences among generations are unavoidable. We are born and raised in very different times.

I continue to admire the generation of my grandparents who witnessed the first car, the first human walking on the moon and the first computer. They also experienced two world wars and the Great Depression.

My own generation was born during the Second World War, watched the first televisions in our homes, and later, computers. We were also influenced by the Civil Rights Movement, the war in Viet Nam, JFK, Martin Luther King, and Mahatma Gandhi. Milk and eggs were delivered directly to our door, which was rarely locked. Games were invented with what we found to play with. We knew all the neighbors by name and they would scold us if we did something bad. Meals were eaten sitting around the family table together with lively discussions. We had chores and found it normal to participate, even if we did complain.

Those of you who are younger may find this a bit odd, but times were different. It is no wonder that our perceptions vary, sometimes greatly.

So how to work and live together becomes the question. It is a question that people with Age Esteem are eager to answer. They know that an important key to Age Esteem is to have contact with people of diverse generations.

No matter what your age, ask yourself the following question. “Who do you have in your life who are from older and younger generations?”

If you find it difficult to name these people, I suggest that you act now to bring people of other generations into your life.

Bonnie Fatio