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Day before yesterday, I watched a Beijing TV program and was moved by what a young woman said about commuters' reflection on the traffic conditions during the city's heaviest snowfall in 59 years. She said: "In this weather, we young people should show more concern for senior citizens. For instance, we should refrain from pushing our way into a bus and wait for older people to get in unhurriedly." As a man in his sixties, I was touched by her words. But some other thoughts, too, came to my mind. Why do old people choose to take public vehicles during rush hours? Since most of them are retired, they have plenty of time to travel during other times and thus help ease the traffic congestion. People of older generations often complain about the selfishness and lack of respect they find among the younger generations. It is undeniable that some young people do need to be educated on mutual respect and concern for other, especially senior, members of society. But we older people should have some understanding about the young, too. Today's society is rather different from what it was when we were young. The social, financial and psychological pressure today's young people have to face is much higher than what we did back in the 1950s through the 1980s. They are in the early stage of their career. They have to find proper jobs to support themselves and work diligently to rise. They have to live in smaller houses, because they are unable to afford the soaring housing prices. Or, they have to labor hard - maybe for 20 or 30 years - to earn enough to pay for their mortgaged apartment. And they often suffer from uncertainties in employment, love and marriage. Considering these facts, we may find it understandable why young people sometimes appear aloof and disrespectful. | 
