Older and Wiser or is it No Fool Like an Old Fool?

“Tom, before we answer the title question lets consider Courage and Wisdom.

“Fine by me, Dave.”

“Courage is the most important virtue because without it, no other virtue could be practiced consistently!”

“Dave, we need courage all our life but even more so in old age.”

“Yes Tom, we need it to face the trials of old age: Facing our mortality plus aches and pains and illness.”

“We also need the moral strength to stand up for our convictions and inner strength to stand up to uncontrollable situations.”

“Dave, are you courageous?”

“Well Tom, I try to do what needs to be done in different situations, if that’s courage, then Yes I Am.”

“Good answer, Dave, you rise to the challenge.”

“We need courage to conquer fear. Courage is strengthened over a lifetime of handling difficult situations.”

“Dave, I’ve just had a pithy thought…When we shape our lives by our choices, we shape ourselves!”

“And also Tom, the choices we make are our own responsibility.”

We both powered that statement.

“Now about Wisdom, we need it to survive.

If we thought we knew all there was to know, we wouldn’t be open to learning new things.”

“What constitutes wisdom, Dave?”

“Wisdom involves the ability to make good decisions in uncertain situations.”

“Dave, I wonder if old people, like ourselves, have an advantage in wisdom.”

“Maybe Tom, because of their years of experience they can:

See events from multiple perspectives.

Use compromise to find solutions.

Deal well with uncertainty.

Recognise that changes are part of life.

Resolve conflicts.”

“Do you pay attention to life’s lessons, Dave?”

“I try Tom. One thing I’ve learned is NOT to expect too much from life and to do things that make me feel good, like helping others.”

“Oh Dave, you’re so WISE.”

“Well Tom, life is too short not to do things that feel good.”

“Now, about the title of this blog’s question:

Older and Wiser or is it No Fool Like an Old Fool?”

Ponder! Ponder!

I’d say it’s 50/50!!!

What say you?”

2 thoughts on “Older and Wiser or is it No Fool Like an Old Fool?

  1. Years make all of us OLD and very few of us WISE.

    Age doesn’t always bring WISDOM.
    Most of the time age comes ALONE.

  2. I DON’T KNOW THE ANSWER TO THAT ONE DAVE. SOMETIMES I FEEL I HAVE THE WISDOM TO HANDLE ANYTHING THAT COMES ALONG. RIGHT NOW WE OLDER FOLKS ARE PRESENTED WITH THE COVID-19 VIRUS. LIVING IN AN OLDER COMMUNITY EVERYONE HERE IS AT RISK. NOT ONE CASE HAS BEEN DISCOVERED IN OUR COMMUNITY YET. MOST OF OUR COMMUNITY ACTIVITIES HAVE BEEN CANCELED OR POSTPONED FOR AT LEAST 30 DAYS.
    IF I GET A CHANCE TO BE AN OLD FOOL, I THINK I’LL PASS.

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