When we were little kids we all used to like to play with kids our own age. An older child playing with younger kids was considered weird. Many folks carry this into adulthood. I suggest that you learn to play with people of different age groups.
I frequently have “girlfriends’ potlucks”. It amuses m
e to see that we range in age from late 20’s to, well, a lot older. (I am generally the oldest person in the room) I learn the latest social trends, technology and even language from my young friends. My younger friends recognize the older sages knowledge and learn from it. We don’t have to read history books — we were there. We can give a perspective you don’t get from books.
I get diet and exercise tips. Hopefully my young friends get a better perspective in looking at a long range view of love and romance. The sages get to tell about the classic movies, the first time we saw the Beatles and I get to improve my playlist of current songs. Oh, and the young uns get advice about (gasp) menopause.
The adage “the more things change, the more th
ey stay the same” sure seems to apply. We find we are not so different. We lose our fear of aging when we see examples of what lies ahead that are good and wise.
I love my various groups. I stay current on technology through my younger friends and then I pass on what I learned to my older friends. I think we enrich each other’s lives.
Other societies seemed to have more interaction among the generations. It would serve us well to learn from them.
Do you have friends of varying ages?
What’s your experience?
I have always socialized with varied age groups, my closest friends are a 76 yr old lovely lady who never seems to act her age.(always younger) and an upbeat gal who is in her early 60’s, an avid traveller with her now retired husband. I also enjoy my very flamboyant male friend who is very close to my age (mid 50’s) so we have a lot in common. Our conversations get quite interesting! lol
I recently visited a friend who is resting after major surgery and met her mother. I had always thought I was just a few years older than my friend as we have so much in common. Turns out I’m closer in age to her mother who seems so much ‘older’ than me.
We’re as old as we think and act.
I have always had friends of varying ages. One of my favorite things was when my quartet discovered that we were a;; 13 years apart – I was 23, the clarinet player 13 years older, the oboe player 13 years older than that, and the flute player 13 years older than that. Great playing and great friends! The flute player turned out to be one of my very best friends, and she taught me about and how to enjoy red wine!!!
When I was in my 20s I was open to and liked to have friends who were older. I do like older people even now. That is people older than me. I did go back to college and obtain a teaching credential at 61. I was in there with a lot of 20 somethings. I think everyone was younger than me. I did make some friends but I think others kind of looked at me a bit strangely. I think it is important for people of all ages to interact with each other. Age should not be a barrier.
You are so right about having a multitude of friends that cross over the many age groups. It enriches your life so very much. Just last week, I had wine and snacks at the Red Wine Bar with my best friend (a few years younger) and three young women with whom I worked before I retired. No one thought about age as we laughed and talked and shared stories about a wide variety of topics. I’ve though perhaps I should join a senior center, but to date, I don’t feel as though I’m quite old enough.
I am sure there are lovely senior centers but somehow that does not appeal to me. The nice part about having a “day” job is that it gives me a reason to continue to network and attend professional functions. No one ever seems to notice that I am the oldest person in the room.