Elder People with Young Spirit and Eyes of a Child

I feel lucky. I feel blessed. In my life I have a chance to meet elder people, who are very young in spirit, and whose eyes are beaming with curiosity and childish smile, and whose works are very contemporary.

These people are becoming younger with age. And I feel sad we, younger generations, didn't build a strong connection with such people. And I feel sad, for those elder people are looking for an opportunity to meet the youngsters and have a good conversation.

Today I met an illustrator or cartoonist, in his 60s. I came to his workshop, he was doing illustrations for children for 45 years now. Before jumping into project I came with, he showed me his works, his stories in pictures, and heros of the cartoons. Some of the cartoons are breathing with the Ukrainian traditional fairy tails. I was so grateful I could meet this person. He was so grateful, he said: "It's rare, almost never that young people come to my workshop".

We! were! thankful! to! each! other! for! just! being! the! way! we! are!: young and elder. Together. In conversation. Listening to stories and asking questions. Being present to each other.

Together with my Mother, Bliss Browne, the President of Imagine Chicago, USA, and her daughter Caroline, we are conceiving a conference on motherhood in 2011. To bring the connection between the young and the elders...

What do the elder bring to the world?

What do the younger bring to the world?