I took part in an eldership ceremony yesterday, my friend Gabriella requested to be admitted into the tribe of elders in our community. We sang her into the room with the first verse of Amazing Grace, it was the only one we all knew. Then we gave her our own personal blessing and welcomed her into her new role.

It was extremely moving and I thought I would write about Eldership today as I am 63 since last Monday I have the right to do this as I hold myself as an elder too. I looked up Eldership quotes and it seems you have to be a Christian to become one out there in the big, wide , world. This was not how Gabby or I hold Eldership so the quotes for today come from a different space, leadership in one’s community.

Lets us journey down the Eldership path:

1. John Quincy Adams  – July 11, 1767 – February 23, 1848) was an American statesman who served as a diplomat, United States Senator, member of the House of Representatives, and was the sixth President of the United States from 1825 to 1829. He was a member of the Federalist, Democratic-Republican, National Republican, and later the Anti-Masonic and Whig parties, thats a lot of parties.. He was the son of President John Adams and Abigail Adams and thus contributed to the formation of the Adams political family. He served as a leader for his whole life.

2. To me eldership does not get handed to you just because of your age. This statement from Gandhi is more to the point of why you do: Be the Change.

3. These are the wise things I hope that I pass on as an elder in my community.

4. As elders you will have made many mistakes in your life, the wisdom bit is how you tell the people you are advising to deal with them: Learning from your Mistakes.

5. And remember red stands out more than white, no drab fare for the elders of the world.

6. Winner of the Nobel Peace Prize, Albert lived to the ripe old age of 90. He was 77 when he won his Nobel Prize, an elder leading by example: Lead by Example.

7. They say hate will never solve anything. To me negativity is a form of hate. People do not come to their elders for negativity.

8. This reminds me of the two wolves story for some reason, that it depends on which story you are telling yourself that counts: Making Progress.

9. By the time we reach Eldership I’m sure we have covered all of these.

10. The cute quote of the day, fairy penguins, Aaw: The Penguin Song.

11. Essence is on there, The essence that you live through your life may grant you Eldership, and then again maybe not.

12. There are often times during our lives that our abilities seem to slip to a level that we later regret, they can become wise stories to tell as elders so others don’t make the same mistakes: Talking to Strangers.

13. Eldership is in pointing out that it’s hard to be somewhere else than where you are.

14. Sometimes Eldership is not words, it is just holding the space with silence allowing the others to work out what they need too: Some Eldership words from Alan.

15. Yes, even Elders are novices at that exact point of time, the new age they are.

Enjoy the little things in life because one day you will look back and realise they were the big things. I love the song from little things big things grow, such as Eldership.

Namaste until next time, my dear friends.