GREY HAIR AND WRINKLES

The most obvious signs of old age and degeneration and I have them in abundance! So what else can I say? Well, for a start old age (and the attributes above), do not necessarily mean “wisdom” of the individual (contrary to popular belief). We “oldies” are not infallible, sources of knowledge or people to whom the younger generation should show respect.

In order for those three aspects to be valid, each of us “oldies” has to “do” many things. For a start, to recognise and admit that we do not know everything, neither do we understand everything or that our words have a certain caché (weight) and should be followed ad nauseam!

Perhaps one of the “problems” associated with ageing is that as it becomes more apparent, the more the individual wishes to show that he/she still has the capacity to be “right” even though this may be based on fiction or at the very best a misunderstanding of their own capacities. I believe we have to experience failure(s) in all forms in order to come out at the other side in better shape to offer wisdom; it is not something that is taught, passed on from one who has it to another who does not.

To quote William Saroyan:

“good people are good because they have come to wisdom through failure”

My thoughts to three age groups are thus: to those of my generation I say be humble, be self-effacing offering what you can when you are asked; to those of the next generation I say be aware and don’t fall into the same traps as your elders may have; to the new, young generation I say listen, think, evaluate what you hear, decide for yourselves and then act. You have your life to live and nobody can or should live it for you. Be you.

Until next time (greyer and with more wrinkles),

Peripatetic Scribe