The older I get, the less I know. The less I am sure of. The less I understand. I used to know everything, or darn close to it. But here in the outer fringes of my early forties, I am forced to rethink the known world. And admit that it will take more than my sparse lifetime to know even the smallest of important things. The more open my mind becomes, the more fears I conquer, the more there is to understand. The more that gets revealed in the crystal clear light of day. The more I see the world is too complex to fathom. So let me be a student again. Let me approach people and things and circumstances with freshness and openness and a willingness to learn. Instead of thinking I have any answers. Instead of presuming or stereotyping or seeing only 2 of 4 sides. Let me learn about love. Let me learn about joy. Let me learn of the value of service to others. Let me remember wonder. And surprise. And the yelping laughter from tickle-fights. Let me know nothing to experience everything.
Tuesday, April 01, 2008
A Student Again
The older I get, the less I know. The less I am sure of. The less I understand. I used to know everything, or darn close to it. But here in the outer fringes of my early forties, I am forced to rethink the known world. And admit that it will take more than my sparse lifetime to know even the smallest of important things. The more open my mind becomes, the more fears I conquer, the more there is to understand. The more that gets revealed in the crystal clear light of day. The more I see the world is too complex to fathom. So let me be a student again. Let me approach people and things and circumstances with freshness and openness and a willingness to learn. Instead of thinking I have any answers. Instead of presuming or stereotyping or seeing only 2 of 4 sides. Let me learn about love. Let me learn about joy. Let me learn of the value of service to others. Let me remember wonder. And surprise. And the yelping laughter from tickle-fights. Let me know nothing to experience everything.
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I dont' think you know less. I think as you become older you become aware of how much there is to know so it just seems you know less.
ReplyDeleteI think as you become older you become more fearful once again because you become aware of the dangers of the world. And you increase your ability to assess the risk associated with those threats. I don't fear monsters under my bed anymore but I do fear someone breaking into my home whilst I sleep.
None of this means you can't love or find joy in everything but you can most certainly be wiser about the world around you.
My lady, as we get older we comprehend things so much more fully. This is our "lucky danger". We see how everything fits and how it flows. We become more open. It is our bain and boon, our yin and yang, the cake and knowing what's made of it, too. We see it all, and it is so satisfying, yet scary at the same time. Things just are.
ReplyDeleteYou expressed my sentiments so beautifully here! Fantastic post!
ReplyDeleteThis is the kind of "less" that adds up to "more"...:>
ReplyDelete