A blessing for an aging parent in the family business

Henry David Thoreau wrote “None are so old as those who have outlived enthusiasm.” By this measure, if Mr. Thoreau looked inside a family business, he’d see very few old people. The senior generation is often as enthusiastic about the business, or more so, than they were in the early days.

But we still grow old. Once, as we walked laps around the park in Garden City, Kansas, my grandfather Roger told me, “Lance, the parts are wearing out!”

This blessing is for an aging parent (or grandparent) in the family business. They have often been around so long, and they are so woven into the fabric of the business, that their many gifts, and their internal struggles, can seem invisible. As you remember them, or celebrate with them this holiday season, may you recall this blessing for them.

It is not easy to see you grow old
As your body and your mind begin to decline
At times together, at times unequally
Yet your interest, passion, and drive for work still hold.

My mind’s eye sees you as the stronger
The leader, the pace-setter, full of wisdom and help
Shaping who we are and how we do business
Laying the foundation for generational success.

But I know as you age, the picture is complex
You wrestle with issues of fairness for heirs
You second-guess past decisions you made
You struggle with our changes, and letting go of the role you once played.  

In our family business we too easily assume
Your abundant gifts and your ever-present support
God grant us the grace to recognize, with honesty and honor 
The contributions you’ve made, the intent of your heart. 

As you grow old with us, may God bless you with

The vision to see how you may best serve others, and 
The courage to finish the tasks you know need done.

The humility to embrace your anxieties, and 
The ability to savor the fruit of a long life, faithfully lived. 

The words to speak to us from deep within your soul, and 
A feeling of peace over all the remaining days of your life.

Even to your old age I am he,
    and to gray hairs I will carry you.
I have made, and I will bear;
    I will carry and will save. (Isaiah 46:4)

Prior blessings: A blessing for those between roles in the family business, a blessing for in-laws in the family business, a blessing before a meal, a blessing for a couple transitioning the family business, for those who do not return to the family business, for one who forgives others, for a long-term key employee, for the next generation’s new business venture, for a family member recovering from addiction, for a sibling partnership, for the end of a family business partnership, for grandparents in the family business, for those experiencing family estrangement, for your estate planning efforts, for a family business gathering, upon the passing of a family business member, for rest, for the next generation’s return, for the senior generation letting go, and for the new year.