Multigenerational Friendships

I was recently talking with my husband about the people and experiences that have shaped who we are. I came to the realization that one of the most significant influences in my life has been the relationships I’ve fostered with a certain segment of people; what I’ affectionately refer to as my “multi-generational” friendships.

I have never limited the title of “friend” to people exclusively in my own age bracket, and I’m grateful for those who didn’t exclude me for that same limitation. Many of my closest friends and greatest confidants over the years have been those decades ahead and decades behind me. From the sisters I initially met while volunteering as a reading tutor at Burton Elementary, to my former board-member’s daughter, to my two teenage stepsons, who are all 10-20 years younger then me, I have learned a tremendous amount. They have given me perspective on situations that I thought were more important than they actually were. They taught me to be aware of my own influence and to practice what I preach. I realized how important it was for me to be the person I wanted them to see. I wanted them to see what it looks like to love strangers, so I would invite them over when I had Airbnb guests staying at my home. I wanted them to see what it looked like to test ideas and to put yourself out there, so I asked them to help me prep a pitch for Start Garden. I wanted them to be in control of their finances, so I walked through my experiences getting a mortgage, and took them to a bank to set up debit cards while discussing plans for saving. 

In the same way my younger friends have helped form me into a more intentional version of myself, I have older friends that continue to positively mentor and care for me. Over the last 15+ years, Sundays have transformed into my favorite day of the week because I know at 6pm I’ll join my family and friends for Sunday Dinner. It’s a consistent check-in with those closest to my heart and it has shaped and inspired countless decisions in my adulthood. My parents, my husband, my sister, brother, aunts, uncles, cousins and family friends all come together for nourishment and support. Through heartbreak, loss, and celebration, being part of this community of family-turned friends and friends-turned family has been a bright spot in every one of my weeks since they began in 2005. 

I’m equally grateful for the men and women I’ve had the opportunity to serve on boards with, work with, or meet in the community, who have chosen to invest in me, believe in me, and also turn to me. Whether they are in their 20’s, 30’s, 40’s, 50’s, 60’s or 70’s, their openness to talk business, finances, goals, ideas for the future or regrets of the past, it’s all contributed to the person I am today, and to the person I hope to be in the future.