Page 3 - Senior Link Magazine Spring 2018 - Online Magazine

a

letter

My grandmother made a huge impact on my life. Her prayers and presence pulled
our family through some very difficult times. I never really got to say thank you from
before she passed away. Or maybe I had the opportunity, but never took advantage
of it. Either way, I hope this Senior to Senior edition is a way of “paying it forward” the
for the countless lessons I learned from her. At the same time, we are happy to
provide students with an opportunity that I missed. This issue serves as a platform publisher
for students to acknowledge the senior citizens who have impacted them and to
convey their gratitude, as well as allow the rest of us a glimpse into lives worth
noticing.

With the tremendous support of AimBank and Reagor-Dykes
Auto Group, we asked high school seniors to write about a
senior citizen who has made an impact in their lives. The results
make up this second annual Senior to Senior issue. The pages
that follow include 25 seniors from 18 different high schools
in our area. You will hear about parents, teachers, neighbors,
friends, grandparents, great-grandparents, a great aunt and
even a second cousin.

To the senior citizens, not just those who are written about in
this edition, but to all of you - thank you. Thank you for being
models to this younger generation. Thank you for speaking into
their lives, for giving them wisdom and advice for the journey
ahead. They are embarking on a journey that, in many ways,
is quite different from yours. They’ll be navigating unknown
terrain, which is frequently and drastically shifting because
of social media, evolving technology and dizzying changes.
Continue to remind them of your story and the principles that
guided you; remind them that, as they face the challenges
ahead, some things are constant and non-negotiable.

To the high school senior, not just those who wrote, but to all
of you - look up to the senior citizens in your life. Ask them
questions. Sit at their feet and ask to hear stories of their own
high school years. Appreciate that they have lived through
wars, depressions and experiences unlike anything you’ve been
through. The occasional computer support they need from you
pales in comparison to the value of the wisdom gleaned from
their experiences. And you are the conduit whose job it is to
transmit those stories into the future they will never see. Then, don’t forget to thank them.
The response to last year’s edition of Senior to Senior has been tremendous. The number of contributors grew
from ten to 25. That growth necessitated a corresponding increase in the number of advertisers. The generous
response is proof that our community wants its youth to know that they support them and believe in them. And
we all benefit when any one of us demonstrates respect and shows gratitude for the treasure that resides in our
senior citizenry.

Because linking generations is the main purpose of this magazine, we hope you not only enjoy these stories but
also help us to encourage others to reach across age barriers and be one of the “links”.

Erin Agee

{ Thank you for those who have written in this edition, for sharing your knowledge {

and stories and helping to Link us. And thank you to the advertisers who make
this magazine a reality. Without all of you this would not be possible.