Some of my favorite things get better with age: wine, cheese, friendships, people.
Are you surprised I included people in my list? Most likely.
After all, getting older is usually fraught with negative implications and stereotypes, especially in the United States.
Americans are on an eternal quest for the proverbial fountain of youth, as evident by our attitudes, self-altering behaviors and popular culture depictions.
But why? Aging can’t be avoided.
In fact, if we’re aging, it means we’re still living, and therefore doesn’t that mean we’re doing something right?
I’ll admit I didn’t always think this way about our country’s older population.
My decision to take a sociology of aging course this semester and a recent mini-vacation, however, have certainly changed my perspective.
My fiancé and I took a trip to New York City last week, a dream come true for a small-town girl fascinated by life in the big city.
The visit was a little different than we initially envisioned it, however — the only way we could afford it was by booking a trip with his grandparents and about 30 other members of local senior centers coordinating the trip.
My fiancé has lived with his great-grandmother for most of his life, so he’s no stranger to the older crowd, but the experience was eye-opening for someone like me who hasn’t spent nearly as much time around my elders.
When I initially told others who are my age about our plans, many seemed puzzled.
“That should be a fun trip,” they would sarcastically comment. Muttering a few oh-so-clever stereotypical jokes about medications and frequent bathroom breaks, they would quickly lose interest in the conversation.
Their closed-mindedness was disappointing.
I assure you, the group accompanying us on our four-day venture was anything but stereotypical.
Its members certainly took advantage of their time in the city that never sleeps, scaling to the top of the Empire State Building, braving rainy, windy weather at outdoor tourist attractions and trekking Times Square at all hours of the night.
What was more impressive, however, wasn’t their physical prowess, but instead how welcome I felt among them despite being an obvious outlier in the group.
I was always greeted by a friendly wave and “hello” — often a rarity on college campuses, even among classmates and casual acquaintances.
Instead of staring down at their cell phones during dinners or bus rides, they would ask me questions about my college studies, wedding plans or job aspirations and actually pay attention when I responded.
The senior center members made a conscious effort to get to know me as we explored the city, and in turn, I also learned a lot about them and similarities we shared.
Overall, the trip was one of the most fun and exciting experiences of my life. And without the awesome group accompanying me, it wouldn’t have been nearly as special.
Even though I missed two sociology of aging classes last week while I was gone, exploring New York City with 30 or so older adults was a rewarding hands-on substitution.
It taught me powerful lessons I couldn’t learn in a classroom.
Our age-based stereotypes of older Americans are discriminatory and wrong, regarding everything from their mental capabilities to their love lives, hobbies and social circles.
Some simple education on the matter can go a long way — and we don’t need to take a class like sociology of aging to learn more about this rapidly growing segment of our nation.
In 2010, older adults comprised 13 percent of the United States’ population. By 2030, that number is expected to spike to 20 percent.
Simply put, older adults aren’t going anywhere. There are plenty of learning opportunities out there.
I urge you to get to know the older people in your life a little better — your grandparents, co-workers, professors, neighbors, whoever.
Often they’re a gold mine of characteristics like wisdom, kindness, confidence, acceptance and experience.
Usually they’re pretty clever.
But ultimately, as I learned last week, they’re just regular people like you and me.
Sit down and talk to them sometime, focusing on your similarities, rather than your differences.
I bet you’ll find some common ground, too — but you’ll never know until you ask.
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