For all its vigour and exuberance, youth can also be a time of folly, of childish whims and facies, of insecurity and self-absorption. Although it cannot be said that wisdom comes only with age, it is true that we all learn from experience. That is why our perspective changes as we grow older.
Have you ever thought about what kind of person you would like to become as you grow older? Do you hope to be more tolerant perhaps? Laugh more, maybe? Care less about what other people say and think? What about focusing more on self-improvement?
One of the gifts I have gained from growing older myself is a fuller and more secure sense of self. Disapproving voices no longer chatter as loudly or as frequently in my head. I am more comfortable with who I am and what I say or do, and are less inclined to be affected by what others think ot say. Instead, I pay more attention to the person I want to be and continue my development in the paths that I choose.
As I grow older, I hope also that I learn to talk less and listen more. Think more deeply before saying or doing something. And to let go of the need to be right all the time. To accept that we all make mistakes, but we can all learn to avoid making the same ones in the future.
What about you? What would you like to grow into as you age? What are the traits in admire in the older people you know? perhaps it's to be more generous? To share more of your wealth, your wisdom, your humour, your time. Maybe it's to treat each new day as a blessing, a bonus and a day not to be wasted on sour moods.
Maybe some of us would like to be less envious of what other people have, and focus more on how we can make the best of what we have. Envy just makes us bitter, whereas with self-improvement comes more empowerment and self-confidence.
What about becoming less obsessed with the details? To take life more lightly, and not make everything an event or disaster? To let go of the need to straighten everything and everybody out and just heave a great big sigh of relief and just enjoy things as they are?
Let age teach us to be more thoughtful, more self-aware, accepting and loving, of ourselves and others.
Eugine Loh, 938Live, MediaCorp Pte Ltd
