No…. I did not get up at six am to wash my face in the dew. Decided it is too late in life for all that guff. But I did think about my exploits in 1990/1 when I was at the University of St Andrews. Up at the crack of dawn to swim in the open-air former swimming pool, filled by each tide with sea-creatures and permanently decorated with limpets, crabs, weed and so forth. If you check out David Campbell’s blog, you’ll find another set of memories and a picture.
Have come to the conclusion I must have been mad. I was supposed to be a mature student. No wonder I am plagued with rheumatics now.
Freda,
Growing old is obligatory, growing up is not…
And then there’s Matthew 18..
2 And Jesus called a little child unto him, and set him in the midst of them,
3 and said, Verily I say unto you, Except ye be converted, and become as little children, ye shall not enter into the kingdom of heaven.
… or am I preaching to the converted?
;~)
Ah….but then we are back to the business of the pursuit of Wisdom again. Or perhaps we should just leave it to creep up on us or reach us by osmosis?
Just consider the phrase “older but wiser”…
Yes, we may have done foolish things, but we have survived. And we can therefore make a conscious decision based on experience, which we can pass on to those younger than us.
However, as a parent I am reminded of the many times I have listened to the sage(!) advice of a parent, and thought “Oh no the old man’s off again…” mainly by seeing the same glazed expression on the faces of my own children.
People who are not willing to learn from the mistakes of others will experience their own adversity. Oh and history will repeat itself… but that’s another thing.
Thank you Sage, I know that history repeats itself when I look into the mirror each morning and see my mother.