The powerful life lesson of an elderly man who responds to a rude young man and invites us to reflect on respect and the relationship between generations
On the Internet, real or fictional anecdotes circulate, drawn perhaps from urban legends or from news stories taken from multiple sources, each time with some detail that has been modified.
These types of stories are not a "hoax", but rather a sort of modern fairytale with a moral, that has the goal of teaching something and stimulating reflection through narration.
The following is about comparing generations and how young people can almost always learn something from senior citizens.
One day a group of teenagers was spending the morning on the beach, when one of them, an 18-year-old young man, suddenly noticed an elderly man lying in the sun a little further away. To show off in front of his companions and to have a laugh, the young man gets up and heads for the stranger to start a conversation.
Without even greeting the elderly man with a "good morning" or attracting his attention in a polite way, he begins to say out loud, "Your generation grew up in a primitive age, without any modern comforts. Today, we have the Internet, smartphones, and computers, what did you have instead?".
After he finishes speaking, the young man turns to his friends to verify that they were listening to him and continues to smirk while standing in front of the elderly man. The latter calmly returns the young man's sardonic smile, and then replies: "You are absolutely right! I and those of my age as a child did not have the technologies of today ... and for this reason, we invented them! And instead, tell me --- what will you do for the generations of tomorrow? What will be your legacy for the world, my little spoiled boy?"
Having immediately lost his previous boldness and smug self-confidence, the 18-year-old remains speechless and then rushes back to his companions. His intent was simply to show off, but instead, he received a good life lesson.
This interesting episode shines a light on the eternal "conflict" between two worlds that are very far from each other, different in the way of thinking and perceiving reality.
As with any anecdote or story, it is partly up to the reader to understand or determine its meaning. Among the possible interpretations, however, it must be emphasized that the wisdom of age always deserves respect, something that young people often forget because of their arrogance.
Every generation is called to do their part, not only to leave a trace of themselves and to fully live their time. But they are also asked to recognize that the duty of every individual is to deliver the world that has been loaned to them, in better conditions, to those who will come later.
