“Working and Learning Together:  We Need Each Other”

Rev. George M. Rossi

One of my daughters recently sent me a note saying that the Peace Corp (PC) wants to employ and use more Baby Boomers (BB).  They want to double its Baby Boomer work force numbers.  About 7% of the workforce in the PC is a Baby Boomer BB and they want 14% I suppose and calculate.  I responded to my daughter by saying:  “Well of course they do, given the work experience, life experience and education (and resources)” of many.  I think it is a great idea on two important levels.  First, intergenerational learning and collaboration is a great need for many companies and many people.  We can learn so much from those who are younger and older than ourselves.  We just need an opportunity to get together, talk, discuss, collaborate and just appreciate other people who may be much younger or much older.  Both groups need each other.  Secondly, the BB group (1946-64) is retiring in great numbers now and will continue for the next 10-12 or so years, maybe more, when the younger BB’s reach age 65.  A fair number of my older ministerial friends have retired or will retire soon.  I recently wrote a research paper on ministers and retirement.  Needless to say there is not a lot of research out there on that topic.  Yet, there is a huge amount of research that says that BB’s (or any older group in any generation for that matter) needs opportunity to be engaged, continue to have meaning, and to find ways to give life back to the community.  

Here is South Carolina we have short leaf and long leaf pines everywhere.  Many of them, when mature and reach “older age” will produce a large number of pine cones.  I have seen some of these trees with top-heavy amounts of pine cones.  For me it is a picture of generativity and productivity.  The older tree is able to give back its best to the land and ecological system after years of growth, struggle, and success.  The same is true for older persons and retirees.  Our communities and societies need ways for senior adults to productively reinvest what they have learned and distilled through life’s lessons.  Giving back could be rewarding and fun too.  It can also be a way to travel and to help others at the same time.  I look forward to the years ahead as I try to give back now and in the future the many learned lessons that makes life joyful and purposeful for me.   As for the Peace Corp I need to think more about that!