We had a dynamic presenter, Dr. Pastor Reynold Ferary, who masterfully tapped into our mandate: “Seniors are valuable assets to their communities and society in general and should be regarded as such.”

He referenced 1 Timothy 4:12, where Paul admonished young Timothy, “Let no one despise your youth.” The adage “be seen and not heard,” which seniors heard when they were young, should not apply to them in their senior years. In fact, that saying should not be told to anyone. The invaluable wealth and resources—culture, history, music, culinary skills, art, craft, academic prowess, architecture, physical strength, good values, and general way of life—are unfortunately almost completely lost on our young generation because these practices are barely being transferred to them. He stressed the value of Transference, Community, and Integration. Seniors have the capacity and know-how to foster and maintain these practices even in their twilight years. He challenged us to do just that and radiate a magnet that will attract those coming behind, creating the kind of curiosity that propelled us to learn and subsequently leave a legacy. In the final analysis, it’s our mindset and willingness to pull ourselves up that will make our last days more meaningful.

As the morning progressed, Tiffany Foster, a young vocal artist, entertained us with her own compositions as well as oldies.