Words of wisdom & aging …

Don’t get excited I have very few

I wanted a photo of my favourite bird a barn owl but could not resist this one by R.Sen on Unsplash

As we grow older we grow wiser, or that’s the theory, although if that was completely true why do I feel the need to scuttle off down the rabbit 🐇 warren to double check. I will get the serious bit out of the way now, Psychology Today helpfully say that it both increases and decreases in this article Do we get wiser as we age? by Julie Erickson, PhD. Her key points are:

• Wisdom is often thought to increase as we get older but empirical research suggests something more nuanced.

• Theories of wisdom vary in their emphasis on cognitive, interpersonal and emotional processes.

• Research suggests that with age we are more self-reflective, empathic, and emotionally stable.

• Components of wisdom requiring rapid speed of processing decline with age.

Not sure there is anything totally earth shattering nonetheless an interesting article. I am going to leave the more nuanced and academic theory at this point and travel off into the rabbit 🐇 warrens and otter 🦦 holts of theories according to Linney, for a very short rummage.

As I grow old I have learnt that words of wisdom often have two sides, depending on your perspective and what you want to believe. I thought I would test my theory, and see what others think. I should add this is very much my usual tongue in cheek approach. I will start with a Franklin D. Roosevelt quote:

The only thing we have to fear is fear itself

I am wondering if this would apply if you were standing in the middle of a field with an angry bull between you and the only exit? I think I would fear the bull.

Flip side: I can now master some of my fears but by no means all

Always go with your passions. Never ask yourself if it’s realistic or not - Deepak Chopra

I have some sympathy but what if your passion is ………… fill in the gaps and it bad for you because … … … …

Flip side I can paint and draw

It is never too late to be what you might have been - George Elliot

At my age doubt I could never be a show jumper - childhood dream, noble winning scientist.

Flip side I can be a writer

Confident people have a way of carrying themselves that makes others attracted to them -Sofia Vergara

Or annoys them intensely with their arrogance, plus there is often a very insecure person hiding behind the mask.

Flip side: I have learnt the art of bull s4@t over the years and the art of a switch to put on a mask.

Be yourself; everyone else is already taken - Oscar Wilde

Can’t disagree with this one except in my advancing years

Flip side: I find it more difficult to actually pin down who I am

I think you have probably got the message by now as I intended this to be a short post - life got in the way over the last couple of days therefore I did not have anything to post on Monday. I know the Substack words of wisdom are organise your posts, but after over 60 years of disorganisation and chaos whatever George Eliot says this old curmudgeon cannot suddenly become Mrs Super Efficient Organiser 😁.

I will leave you with a couple of Linney words of wisdom:

• Regrets are wasted energy - you cannot change the past however, you can learn from those mistakes to change the future

• Don’t leave the kitchen door open when you have a bin raiding French Bulldog, however small they maybe and however tall the bin maybe they will find a way 😡😁

Prompts - serious of tongue in cheek

Are there any words of wisdom you live by?

If yes which ones and why?

Are there any words of wisdom you disagree with?

If yes which ones and why?

Are there any words of wisdom you have developed yourself?

If so what are they?

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