Blog #60. Graduating into Elderhood

You’re at the podium, heart racing, palms sweaty, about to deliver your most important speech ever. The high school graduation ceremony is a rite of passage signaling the end of one chapter and the start of another. Fast forward a half a century or so, and here you are again, graduating into elderhood. While this transition is as momentous as that high school graduation, it comes without fanfare. No gowns, pomp, or circumstance.

Back in high school, we reminisced about those moments from awkward freshman to the victorious senior moments. As we enter elderhood, senior moments are rarely considered “victorious!” We look back on our lives as a tapestry, each thread a love, loss, triumph, or even cringe-worthy mistake. We chuckle or groan at the fashion choices (massive shoulder pads, anyone?), the hairstyles (hello, perms and mullets!), and the phases we went through, just as we did with our high school selves.

In our earlier rite of passage, we thanked our teachers, the unsung heroes who guided us, challenged us, and sometimes barely tolerated our teenage angst. In elderhood, our gratitude deepens as we recognize the mentors, family, friends, and even the random strangers who imparted valuable lessons. Each person we’ve encountered has been a chapter in our story, contributing to the wisdom we now hold.

Remember that part of the speech where we spoke about the future, starry-eyed? “The world is our oyster!” We brimmed with idealism. As elders, the world is still our oyster—albeit, perhaps, a bit more seasoned. Now, our adventures might look different. They might be more about savoring moments with loved ones, exploring passions we never had time for, or simply finding joy in the everyday wonders.

No graduation speech is complete without nuggets of wisdom. And with more life under our belts, we have many. Don’t sweat the small stuff. Live in the moment. Say please and thank you. These aren’t just platitudes; they’re hard-earned truths. We’ve learned that life’s too short for holding grudges, that laughter really is the best medicine, and that kindness always matters.

While we enthusiastically encourage and cheer the next generation, there’s no reason that we shouldn’t still be doing the same for ourselves and our peers. We benefit just as much knowing that we still have journeys to navigate and lessons to learn. We are here to listen and to share stories that support the younger ones and ourselves.

In high school, we likely ended our speeches with a call to action. As elders, our closing is more profound. It’s a standing ovation for a life well-lived. We’ve walked the path, stumbled a few times, but always got back up. Now, we stand ready to embrace this new chapter with the same enthusiasm we had at 18, but with more wisdom in our hearts.

So here’s to elderhood—a beautiful encore and to the adventures before us. Come plan your croning ceremony with me at WonderCrone.com or join us in our membership community, Where Wisdom Meets Wonder.