Growing old is not a choice but an intricate part of the life cycle. Every one of us will eventually pass through this phase but what matters is how beautifully we make this phase of life meaningful for one another with love, care, patience and compassion.
Advancement in Globalization, modernization and westernization brought many social changes in our society. These changes degraded our traditional cultural values, families are divided, individuals have been given highest value and relationship with elders gradually declined. But we forget that caring for elders is our social responsibility because they are carriers of collective cultural identity, traditional knowledge and intergenerational wisdom.
Traditional knowledge is not always documented in books. In Kashmir much of our indigenous craftsmanship and skills has survived through the lived experience of elders. Neglecting the elders will not only altering the cultural legacy we are obliged to pass on to generations but also threatens the survival of traditional skills and other indigenous knowledge.
From a sociological Perspectives of Pierre Bourdie’s ‘Social Capital theory’, Emile Durkheim’s ‘Functionalist Theory’ and Symbolic interactionism- Elders are not a burden on society but they are contributors of its social capital that helps a community to function, to maintain its equilibrium and social stability through maintaining cultural norms, providing moral guidance, preserving collective traditions, customs, community relationships and social institutions, resolving disputes and shaping the identity.
However, we have gradually created an environment in our families in which elders are now increasingly marginalised, their voices often go unheard, their opinions are overlooked, their experience is undervalued. They are physically present within households but remain emotionally excluded. Sometimes they choose to suffer in silence and hide their tears behind a smile for our happiness to show “Abba” is well even when their own hearts are longing to be understood.
Taking care of our elders is not an act of charity but a responsibility to preserve our cultural identity, maintain social equilibrium, social relationships and solidarity and a fulfilment of our religious faith.
Religious teachings across traditions also instruct their believers to treat their elders with kindness and humility, not to express even a word of irritation towards parents, nor to rebuke them (Surah Al- Isra (17:23-24). Similarly, Manusmirit (2:121) also emphasized that “a person who always greets elders with respect and serves them daily, four things increase in their life longevity, knowledge, fame and strength”.
Their hands may tremble, their footsteps slow yet countless stories within them flow.
The writer is a Student of Sociology. Mohammadimran085@gmail.com
