Nikhil's Reflections on Ageist behavior

I learned that one should respect those that are elder to us from an early age. Many cultures believe in this idea, and successful aging refers to one who has experienced the most and holds the most non-material wealth in the group. Ageist tendencies are hard to ignore when they happen however. My grandparents on both sides of my family both have lived in India their entire lives. Because I was young and naive I did not make the most effort into learning the language and attempting to exchange with them. Older individuals mattered to me more if they offered me something of material value. That will always be one of my regrets. Since I have gotten older, my father (a rehab physician) helped form a lot of the views I have on aging today by taking me to work every now and then so I could speak to his patients. And now I am working on building a better relationship with my last living grandparent and helping her establish permanent residence in the United States.