I always preferred the company of older people because … they knew more than me. Why would I want to be around people who knew less?
Fran Lebowitz
So I also felt the same as above quote all my life. I rather hang out with women older than me or love grandma types. But this shifts delicately when you grow up and mature over time. This happens when you realize that you are no longer the greenest, youngest junior status holder in the room.
Then one day, perhaps you become the so called “senpai”, or even a teacher … or a parent … then, we find out that sometimes those younger than you actually could know more not less – so I beg to differ Fran Lebowitz. As you grow older, you find that yes like she says here where she rephrases and updates – “I always liked people who are older. Of course, every year it gets harder to find them.”!
So here it is Fran, YOU can learn so much from the juniors, our students … and then from our children. It is true that those who have the life experience is someone we will continue to respect if not emulate. But then there are the youths who make foolish mistakes and we learn from those risk takers, a lessons or two you might have missed, or avoided, ultimately because we were “smarter” by being less brave, less passionate, less ignited.
Currently, the thinking is more this: there’s only so much time, maybe 10, 20, 30 good years left, who knows. Then today, I want to be with the mentors, the sage, the elders, the wise. It’s all accelerated today. They we identify as mentors, they too have so much to learn from the younger generations – it goes both ways. And sometimes, there’s that “Han-Kyoshi” – the counter teacher ?One who does all the wrong things, makes all the idiotic moves, all the errors and living in misery – sadly, we learn from them too. We do not want to be like them so we may compensate and over-correct to make sure we do not end up “like that”. So it’s a constant exchange. It’s about not creating a divide but finding common grounds and improving on them.
How many years have I been an “adult”? Well, until recently, I had confused Fran Lebowitz with Annie Leiboritz and visa-versa. It’s quite a discovery to realize – wait , oh, they are totally separate different human beings – okay, please don’t roll your eyes about my ignorance. On the other hand, I know so much about things you are unaware of, ignorant of – matters that may actually improve your life. Or bring joy. If only I could put that into words and pages for you to leaf through.
Everyday we learn something new; everyday we are brand new, everyday, we are reborn. All it takes is that attention. Paying attention. Being awake. Being conscious. That.
