According to Wikipedia, communication is defined as “the activity of conveying information through the exchange of thoughts, messages, or information, as by speech, visuals, signals, writing, or behavior.” Communication is vitally important to our every day lives. It affects our relationships with others, our needs being met, and our work environments. Miscommunication, on the other hand, has resulted in numerous arguments and the destruction of relationships.
Over last 20 years, the methods we use to communicate have drastically changed. We have moved from writing letters, to email, then MySpace, Facebook, and Twitter. Because these changes have taken place at an alarming rate, the ability of generations to communicate effectively with one another has decreased.
I consider myself, not old, but not young either. I like to believe that I have kept up, albeit somewhat reluctantly, with the communication tools of the young. Yet, I discovered just a few weeks ago, that I have been sadly mistaken. I learned the truth when I asked youth at the Redmond United Methodist Church what language they speak. They gave the following answers: swagalious, awesome sauce, hipster, and hashtags. For those who have not kept up with the latest communication tools, please let me take a moment to explain that a hashtag is a phrase that comes after the pound sign (#), a hashtag, and is used primarily with Twitter.
At first I didn’t quite understand what the youth were saying. While I knew all about hashtags, I was befuddled to learn that youth actually speak in hashtags. For example, one youth might follow a comment with “#awesomesauce”. According to the youth I spoke with, some teachers have students pay a dollar every time they say “hashtag”.
When I asked the same youth, what language ‘old’ people speak, they offered these terms: old fashion, lame, superior, main street, and condescending. These descriptive words are no different than what previous generations thought of their parents and elders yet I believe the pace of changing communications is making the task of talking with each other more difficult than ever. One young person suggested that Google Translator needs to be updated to help us old folks.
While we might find it difficult to communicate with emerging generations, there is so much important information we need to share with one another, including the wisdom we have received and our own ideas and dreams for the future. One of our youth suggested that in order to be able to share this information we need a simple common language.
I believe that the church can be a place where that common language can be taught to the old and the young alike. For example, in my church we spend time each week, whether in worship or classes, learning about stories that have been told and passed down to us in the Bible. Themes in these stories include love, joy, betrayal, adultery, anger, sibling rivalries, sorrow, loyalty, and many more. These universal themes pervade our lives whether we are from the Greatest Generation or from the Millennial Generation.
I believe that these stories provide a common language from which we can discuss and learn from one another. I also believe that a faith community can and should be a safe place where we can exchange ideas and knowledge no matter what our age is. We need places where the young can speak their minds and dream without being judged. We also need a community in which the elders among us can teach us the wisdom that only age brings. Our increasing mobility only amplifies this need.
One of my good friends, who I met in seminary, is 20 years older than I am. She claims that I keep her young, but the truth is, she keeps me grounded. I hope that my children find friends like this and I hope they are able to find them in their faith communities.