It always amazes me how little one actually knows about living life. I believe, if you are wise, one will actually slow down enough to really examine how things are.
I, for one, spend quite a bit of time re-examining past events and their outcomes. Perhaps this is a result of growing old gracefully not necessarily about feeling guilty or regretful.
Often I come across sayings or quotes that I believe would have been meaningful to me in my earlier years. There are a million of them out there...but two seem especially relevant
to me personally.
FIRST: "BEGIN WITH THE END IN MIND."
SECOND: "LOVE MANY, TRUST BUT A FEW, LEARN HOW TO PADDLE YOUR OWN CANOE."
Unfortunately, my parents were too busy just surviving for the majority of their lives....so little was said about the future of one's life. The day to day existence of managing events far outweighed any wisdom that would have been imparted to me or my brothers. I know they did the best they could with the knowledge they had.....just as I have done with my children.....but I do often wonder how much wisdom would have been passed on if things had been a little easier for them.
Sometimes life can be so very overwhelming.....leaving little energy for passing on pearls of knowledge.
Sometimes life can be so very overwhelming.....leaving little energy for passing on pearls of knowledge.
Not complaining today....just stating some observations as I reflect back on earlier times in my life. Wanted to put this out in the Universe today....perhaps it can help in some unexpected way.
Many hugs,
Jo
Photo credit: somewhere on the web
Many hugs,
Jo
Photo credit: somewhere on the web
Awesome post. I can definitely identify with the parents just being too busy for the majority of their lives. My parents, although together, lived separate lives and I was a part of neither. I tried raising my children differently and offered them the wisdom I have gained in my life, but ultimately, it is up to them if they take it.
ReplyDeleteWhen I was 8, I had an autograph book and a similar little ditty was written in it: "Love many, / Trust few, / Always paddle / Your own canoe." I loved it then and I love it now, LOL!
ReplyDeleteAnd thanks for that Joan Didion quotation too -- it is wonderful and accurate.
I often wish I had some pearls to pass on to my son but I seem to come up dry more often than not. Thank goodness "I love you" can be said a trillion times.
ReplyDeleteThe quotes you choose are terrific and true and I definitely believe in the second one. My mom often used that one.. Our parents went through much more difficult times than us and for many of them, just getting through the day was all they could handle. Tomorrow really meant tomorrow and not the future. We were blessed that society opened up for our generation and choices could be made and we were able to make changes to long held norms. We Boomers made mistakes but in our youth and throughout the years, many of us truly tried to make a better world for ourselves and others, at least, until greed and selfishness took over. Maybe we should go back to a few of those norms, beginning with empathy.
ReplyDeleteI am still rowing.
Good, solid quotes... And while much is caught rather than taught, some things you just have to learn from experiences--some hard ones at that!
ReplyDeleteVery astute observations. I think many of these thoughts we have to come upon ourselves. We wouldn't believe them if told. I love the quotes you shared.
ReplyDelete