It's Topic Tuesday!
I know this has happened to some of you before- You’ve had a day or a week where the same themes keep running through your mind and consciousness. Example- you are super frustrated with your kids then someone posts on FB
about “patience” being a virtue. Then you’re in the grocery store (of course you're in a hurry, as always) and the lady
in front of you writes a check and uses 10 million coupons (this is actually me
some days), you’re about to blow your top, but then it’s your turn and the cashier says, “Thank you for your patience.” You smile a fake smile cause you’re
trying to hide what’s really going on in your head. Then a friend calls to tell you a story about how she was patient and it paid off… You’re finally
like, “ENOUGH! I get it God! I need to work on my patience!”
Well, this is not an all CAPS type of theme like patience, but lately I have seen a particular topic on repeat.
Multi-generational living.
Some of you just read those words and thought, what in the
world is she talking about?
And I actually just used that term because I saw it
somewhere else, and thought- that’s it! That’s the name for the theme circling
my head like a hawk!
So what is it? It’s when more than two generations are
living together under the same roof (my definition for it anyways). This very
important tradition has become a thing of the past for me and most of my peers. But
this is not how it used to be. In fact, my mother’s generation did this, so it
is not that far removed, and yet it’s almost vanished… How and why so quickly?
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| Picture of the family who inspired my latest novel. Count the four generations. |
I am writing a literary fiction novel right now that is
inspired by true events. The setting for part of the book is the early 60s. Now
the early 60s did not get everything right for certain, but I do think they got
this one correct. The family in the story (remember it’s inspired by true
events) had four generations under one roof. ONE ROOF. And each generation
serves a purpose in the story. There were no insignificant roles.
Was it a crazy household? Yes, probably. But can you for a moment
think about the wisdom of the elders being passed down in that kind of
environment… and the care given to the family member who's in life’s last
stages… and the youth- the young generation, full of life- who is able to still bring joy and laughter into the home.
Why has this gone by and by? I too have fallen into the
cultural norm and thought about how wonderful life will be when my kids go off
to college, and my husband and I have the house to ourselves. But do I really
want that?
I’m not sure I do. I think I’m kind of leaning towards multi-generational
living, watching my grandkids grow up in real time, because they’re down the
hall, and not across town. I'm kind of leaning towards being Roomies for life...
I wonder if my kids or my husband will agree…
Also, check out this great video of folks who demonstrate well this type of living!
