Perhaps we don’t age until we get wise. If we remain stupid we also stay young.
Being old really is a state of mind. It’s the mind that tells you how old to feel. The one element that keeps the mind happy and vibrant is learning. A favorite of all axioms is “Learn something new every day.” That attitude seems to keep the mind open and ready and alert.
So age must be relative somehow to wisdom. Consider the two common phrases often used in describing the self: “Young and Stupid” or “Older and Wiser.” Perhaps we don’t age until we get wise. The "seen it all" and the "been there, done that" and the "seen one, seen 'em all" crowd are old AND boring.
When one has learned it all, when one doesn’t care to experience something new, the doors close, the communication ends, the mind goes inactive. That's old.
I can’t be that old because I’m not that smart.
Sometimes I sits and thinks. Sometimes I just sits.
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Labels: hat, Thinking it over
4 Comments:
At Sunday, November 08, 2009 8:44:00 AM,
Kaleymorris said…
"If we remain stupid we also stay young."
That's because if we are truly stupid, we die young.
At Sunday, November 08, 2009 9:06:00 AM,
anyjazz said…
Thanks.
The phrase “never grow old” can be both innocent and ominous
At Sunday, November 08, 2009 10:00:00 AM,
Twilight said…
You didn't mention the other antidote to growing and feeling old that you often mention: being afraid to take risks - that certainly contributes to feeling and being seen as "old".
Carry on carrying on as you do in antique shops with hats and mirrors, and I'll carry on taking the risk of accompanying you - then we'll both stay.... forever young...stoopid too most likely.
;-)
At Sunday, November 08, 2009 12:10:00 PM,
anyjazz said…
Yes, the safer path is often connected to maturity and thus aging. Engaging a risk, or challenge or adventure is invigorating and helps maintain a youthful guise; even a small one like putting something over on an antique shop keeper. You know I try to find a hat, a mirror in a lighted area, and the right camera angle to get a shot of myself before the shop owner catches me. It is a game perhaps, but fun.
And the fear generated by avoiding risky situations is not good for one either.
Note we are looking at risky situation, not dangerous situations with dire consequences. Stupid does those; young and old. Old just knows more of them.
And before you can mention it, yes there is a third part that is felt to be a deterrent to aging. Change habits. Take a different street; use different toothpaste, read the newspaper in a different room or position. Sure it’s good to have some habits. But shake them up now and then, just to prove you can. Being trapped by habits is dull and life gets very old, very quickly. Purposely change something just to show you can. Your life should be managed by you, not your routines.
And you reminded me that sharing experiences makes life interesting and electric. We draw life from our adventures. Experiencing them as a team, far more than doubles the benefits. Thanks for that.
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