This country idolizes youth and demeans the "old people" with jokes and insults, but this post by Bernard Otis shows what the older generation brings that younger people should learn. The civility, good manners, kindness, patriotism and many other things we were taught when we were growing up seems to be missing with some of our youth. He also mentions the value of having grandparents living near and how he enjoyed his grandmother living with him and his parents.    

I teach senior adults to write about their lives. In a world where families are scattered here and yonder, grandparents are aware their grand-kids might never know about the old days when kids could play and run free. I think telling their life stories on paper validates the men and women who hope their stories will matter to future generations of their families.

I believe those children who have no interest in the lives of their grandparents today will, someday, be happy to have those memories written for them to read.

I have no children to whom I can pass on my stories, but I write about all of my family. I hope my nieces and nephews will enjoy reading about their ancestors.

Council and Robison families with lots of my nieces and nephews