Major
Animal Science and Technology
Minor(s)
Wildlife & Conservation Biology, Leadership Studies, Studio Art
Advisor
Leedahl, Skye
Advisor Department
Human Development and Family Studies
Date
5-2025
Keywords
Life lessons; A happy life; Making connections; Responsibility in life choices; Conversations with couple from older generations; Short story
Abstract
Delanie Landivar
Finding the Meaning of Life and Love from Older Generations
As humans, we often navigate life seeking self-discovery and striving to comprehend the world around us. Over the course of a lifetime we learn from experiences and, ideally, find meaning in it all. Older generations possess a wealth of wisdom and life experience — often perceived as holding the answers we seek. This concept is what formed the foundation of my project: exploring the meaning of life from those who have lived it fully. What have they learned about love through the myriad of connections made with others? For this project, I visited a nearby assisted living facility to engage in conversations with a couple who have been married for over 50 years. Assisted living facilities provide housing, meals, and support to residents who require assistance with daily activities, but don’t need intensive medical care. To conduct this research, I completed online training for human research and navigated the extensive IRB approval process, which involved obtaining informed consent from the participants to record their stories and take photographs. Ultimately, I embarked on a project aimed at uncovering profound insights from these conversations, each session addressing different themes such as love, life, family, and life lessons. The findings are presented in the form of a short story, each chapter encapsulating significant lessons learned from discussing past memories, tales of falling in love, hardships, and reflections on their current stage of life. As I approach a pivotal life moment in my own life, nearing college graduation, the insights gained — such as the importance of not limiting oneself to a single path, maintaining lasting partnerships, and appreciating life’s changes — have gifted me with a new perspective that I hope will resonate with others.
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