"Retiree" is too narrow — we are all much more than our work. Nor is "retired" an accurate description of a time that can include education in new skills, mentoring others, avidly pursuing long-held interests, participating in new activities, developing new relationships, or even starting a new career.

"Senior" is useful for discounts and voting blocs, but has come to imply a separateness that does not accurately define our engagement in the world, and our connections with other generations, including our children and grandchildren.

Worse, both are dismissive. Much is made of the need to encourage and preserve human capital. Each of us works a lifetime to acquire a unique and particular set of skills, wisdom, and knowledge. Yet at the very moment we are most free to share these hard-won gifts, our modern culture assumes that we will step aside and leave next generations the task of re-discovering all we have learned. This attitude is certainly wasteful, and may be irresponsible.

There is an ancient word that does fit: Elder. Whatever the chronological age, it is the elder who provides the longer-term, reflective insights so much lacking in today’s public discourse. It’s the Elder who can bring new perspectives to every day life. And it's the elder who can touch the deeper parts of his or her own soul, and that of others, to bring meaning in new and creative ways.

Leading by example, we Elders can unleash our special perspective — a perspective that has been overlooked for too long. And we must do so in ways that acknowledge our own needs while being in balance with the needs of society.

Through ElderFire, we can become an instrument for moving from a society of separate and isolated enclaves to one that is inclusive and interconnected. And we can anticipate a time when younger generations eagerly look forward to the day they, in turn, earn the right to be called "Elder".