We just got back last week from celebrating a beautiful simcha in our family, my brother Berel’s wedding, thank G-d. Spending the weekend with my family in NJ, I couldn’t help but notice it. Amidst the flurry of wedding preparations, celebration, and family bonding time, my dear grandparents were at the center; the crowning glory.
It almost felt like an anomaly in a society that has made youth, the new, and the cutting edge, the gold standard for all things fashionable and adored.
In Jewish Living, the imperfect pieces and parts of older bodies are far from imperfections. They tell the story of a life lived in all of its depth and complexity; and with it, wisdom and genuine life experience.
So, while we Jews keep our eyes focused forwards towards creating a better, more G-dly future for our world, we simultaneously look back to the generations that preceded us to gain from the wisdom and clarity their age brings. Each generation forward is one closer to the coming of Moshiach; each one back is one closer to the Giving of the Torah at Mt Sinai. We are the link that binds the wisdom and strength of the past with the energetic links of the future.
In a world that often screams, “out with the old, in with the new”, we need to model the very opposite for our children. Take the time to have authentic conversations with your children about what is true and eternal. Tell them about the life experiences that have shaped your perspectives and priorities. Make grandparents the center of your family. Give opportunities for children to engage with them. Let your children see your awe and reverence for your ancestry. Celebrate the imperfections of age; don’t try to photoshop them. Let’s teach our children that they are the wear and tear of a life lived in all of its beautiful imperfection. And that makes it oh so very perfect.