Elderly Wisdom
By Andrew W. Jones
Back in the eighties, times were a lot different. It was a time of innocence being lost, the absence of cell phones and who can forget the beginning of MTV. It was a time when musicians and bands that were not quite as aesthetically pleasing could still make a viable living. The new video age would change all of that.
It was still a time when young kids couldn’t wait to get home from school, and after changing out of their school clothes, head outside to the nearest barn or swimming hole to have some fun. Yes, there was Atari, early computer systems and some other electronic technology at their disposal, but nature still played a vital role in how they spent their free time. It was also a time when I began to realize that there was more to this world than people are aware of.
I used to suffer from a rare but dangerous condition known as “Potential Prolongation Denial.” This is a totally fictional and created state of being that I use to refer to the condition that I found myself in when the powers that be or any outside influence inadvertently rendered me useless, and therefore prevented me from achieving my hopes, dreams, aspirations and goals. Yes, others do have an effect on your happiness and self-worth.
With this said, I decided years ago that I would be the one in charge of my destiny, and I also realized the power and knowledge that you can obtain from the elderly people in your community. Elderly folks have been cherished for their knowledge and instruction as far back as the time when the druids were practicing in the British Isles and even further back in Biblical terms.
I have known this secret to wisdom, and hopefully, someday the children of the next generations will see the vast opportunities there are to learn and hear fascinating stories of their past from those members of the community who have been there and done that. John Locke stated in his Essay on Human Understanding how wisdom was neither voluntary nor necessary.
He meant that if wisdom and knowledge were required, then everyone would be thinking the same exact thing, and if it were necessary or voluntary, some men would chose to have little or none and thus there would be an imbalance. The attainment of knowledge is a personal choice and a choice that affects each individual on their own terms.
Wisdom only comes from years of acquiring knowledge and making tough decisions, thus we get back to how important our elderly are to our communities.
My grandfather always used to say, “Don’t take life too seriously,” and other things like, “Son, it don’t matter ‘till it matters.” The latter saying was his way of telling me to plan ahead and never think that you can become complacent about life.
He always used to tell me the Bible story about a bunch of ants that were prepared for the winter time because they were busy all year getting things done and not procrastinating. In summary, I would like to express my thanks to all of the people who are “seasoned citizens,” and the impact they have had on my life and the lives of others. Perhaps someday I will be wise in my years and be able to pass on a little insight to the folks in my community.
By Andrew W. Jones
Back in the eighties, times were a lot different. It was a time of innocence being lost, the absence of cell phones and who can forget the beginning of MTV. It was a time when musicians and bands that were not quite as aesthetically pleasing could still make a viable living. The new video age would change all of that.
It was still a time when young kids couldn’t wait to get home from school, and after changing out of their school clothes, head outside to the nearest barn or swimming hole to have some fun. Yes, there was Atari, early computer systems and some other electronic technology at their disposal, but nature still played a vital role in how they spent their free time. It was also a time when I began to realize that there was more to this world than people are aware of.
I used to suffer from a rare but dangerous condition known as “Potential Prolongation Denial.” This is a totally fictional and created state of being that I use to refer to the condition that I found myself in when the powers that be or any outside influence inadvertently rendered me useless, and therefore prevented me from achieving my hopes, dreams, aspirations and goals. Yes, others do have an effect on your happiness and self-worth.
With this said, I decided years ago that I would be the one in charge of my destiny, and I also realized the power and knowledge that you can obtain from the elderly people in your community. Elderly folks have been cherished for their knowledge and instruction as far back as the time when the druids were practicing in the British Isles and even further back in Biblical terms.
I have known this secret to wisdom, and hopefully, someday the children of the next generations will see the vast opportunities there are to learn and hear fascinating stories of their past from those members of the community who have been there and done that. John Locke stated in his Essay on Human Understanding how wisdom was neither voluntary nor necessary.
He meant that if wisdom and knowledge were required, then everyone would be thinking the same exact thing, and if it were necessary or voluntary, some men would chose to have little or none and thus there would be an imbalance. The attainment of knowledge is a personal choice and a choice that affects each individual on their own terms.
Wisdom only comes from years of acquiring knowledge and making tough decisions, thus we get back to how important our elderly are to our communities.
My grandfather always used to say, “Don’t take life too seriously,” and other things like, “Son, it don’t matter ‘till it matters.” The latter saying was his way of telling me to plan ahead and never think that you can become complacent about life.
He always used to tell me the Bible story about a bunch of ants that were prepared for the winter time because they were busy all year getting things done and not procrastinating. In summary, I would like to express my thanks to all of the people who are “seasoned citizens,” and the impact they have had on my life and the lives of others. Perhaps someday I will be wise in my years and be able to pass on a little insight to the folks in my community.
copyright © 2010 Andrew W. Jones. All rights reserved.