Learn From People Who Are Older Than You.
Older people have a lot they can teach you if you'll listen.
To my kids:
With the rise in technology, some people feel like the advice and wisdom of older people are no longer necessary. In the United States, the perspectives of older people are sometimes pushed to the fringes of society.
I caution you against doing this. Ironically, a person older than you is warning you not to ignore the advice of people older than you.
What are some reasons why you should listen to older people?
Learn from their mistakes.
Every generation that preceded you made some massive mistakes along the way. We don’t like to talk a lot about our mistakes, but if an older person is willing to share their past mistakes with you, there is a lot you can learn from them.
Despite advice from older people who warn you against making some of the same mistakes they made - you’ll make your share of mistakes too.
Hopefully, if you listen to their advice, you can avoid some of the same mistakes. Also, you will learn how to learn something from your mistakes by listening to an older person who learned from their past mistakes.
Learn from their successes.
The people who are older than you probably accomplished some fantastic things in their lifetime - if you’ll take the time to listen to them.
Many of the principles for success in the past will be the same for success in your life. Your situation might be a little different, and the technology might be more advanced, but the principles for success will remain the same.
Learn from their experiences.
The things that older people experienced in their lifetimes can provide you with a wealth of wisdom if you listen to their stories.
They lived through world wars, national disasters, and even pandemics. They saw economic prosperity and times of recession and economic downturns. They lived through times when the local church thrived and when there were problems and struggles.
While you might not experience precisely the same things in your life, the experiences of older people can help you navigate challenging times.
Take the time to listen to older people and what they’ve learned. Be willing to learn from their mistakes and successes.
Be humble enough to admit that you don’t know it all and that older people have a lot they can teach you.
Wisdom is with aged men, and with length of days, understanding. (Job 12:12)
Those older people won’t always be around to help you - and when they die, those stories go with them. Learn from them now while you can.
Until next time,
Love Dad.