Words of (Questionable) Wisdom

 

View from the Mountain

“Getting old is like climbing a mountain; you get a little out of breath, but the view is much better.”

Ingrid Bergman

          A couple of days ago, I had the pleasure of attending a birthday lunch for my friend Scott—his 50^th. We talked about the fact that we are exactly 25 years apart in age, and he asked me what words of advice I could give him for the next part of his journey. I have thought about that question a lot, and still don’t have a very good answer. This is what I have to offer—the older I grow, the less I know. There is something about being in one’s seventh decade, having made every stupid mistake that can be made, and knowing there will be more mistakes to come anyway, that takes the notion of certainty about anything and tosses it over the cliff. There is very little I can say with absolute certainty.

One thing I can say is this: the truly important things in life are not what you imagine them to be when you are twenty-five or even fifty. The only essential thing for you to know is the heights and depths of who you are and be able to stand on the solid ground of your own truth. Beyond that, having folks around you to love and to be loved by is crucial to longevity. It’s hard to be in love with life if you don’t love other people. And being in love with life is what keeps us here on the blue planet and motivated to try new things.

Another necessity, for me at least, is to keep an open and curious mind. To assume that you can learn something from anyone, regardless of age, and circumstance. You can change your mind when you learn something new—it’s allowed. Know that all life on this planet is equally as valuable as yours, and that other living beings can contribute to your hoard of stored knowledge, expand your world, and make your life richer if you allow it. I have heard many words of wisdom from the mouths of children, and from men and women I first discounted. I am always humbled by the realization that a little child may well know more than I do about how to get through life successfully. And they can inform me if I will listen.

We are daily instructed to “keep a positive attitude,” and I agree to a point, but I believe it is even more important to feel what you feel and to be authentic in how you show it. One of the truly great demonstrations of this was when Greta Thunberg stood before the United Nations General Assembly of elites, including the President of the United States, glowered at them, and shouted, “How Dare You!” In my worldview, it was a moment of authentic and well-deserved rage, superbly delivered with the conviction that only an idealistic fifteen-year-old has. I believe with my whole heart that if the world is to change into a kinder, better place, it will be because of children like Greta and not because of some secret cabal of billionaires and oligarchs.

Finally, believing deep in your bones that there is something greater than yourself, and that you, and every other living thing, are part of that something, roots you in your soul and in the world's soul. Regardless of whether religion has a role in it, experiencing the wonder and awe of sacred times and places, and having the consciousness to recognize holy ground and life-changing words when they come to you, is food for the soul and wings for the spirit. It’s not what you believe in your head that matters, it’s what you feel in your gut, and know in your heart to be true.

That’s about all I have to offer after all the years. The view from the mountain is great. I hope you have a beautiful Sabbath and live forever happy in the lap of love.

                                        In the Spirit,

                                        Jane