My Old Mans Wisdom
thought 25
“War is the worst excuse humans have ever invented to create jobs” — My Dad (Guy Cobb)
At some point, you’re going to grow up and realize your parents had some wisdom. Yes, there were those stupid things they said or did that made you think “How is this person an adult?” but don’t worry, I’m sure that some snarky kid in your future is going to say the same thing about you.
My father was in the Army and lived through American wars since the 1936, that’s WW2. He was around 10 years old when war broke out. Amazing.
I’ve been spending more time listening to stories from my parents recently. It reminds me of a book I’m reading, Benjamin Franklins Autobiography. He has a really funny but insightful quote.
“Hereby, too, I shall indulge the inclination so natural in old men, to be talking of themselves and their own past actions; and I shall indulge it without being tiresome to others, who, through respect to age, might conceive themselves obliged to give me a hearing, since this may be read or not as anyone pleases”
— Benjamin Franklin
I’ve realized that my parents have these gems of emotional knowledge that they’ve learned over the years. It’s something that I didn’t understand or appreciate for a long time.
I think no matter how good or bad you think your parents are that if you sit down and listen to their stories, no matter how many times they tell you them, that you might pick up something deeper. I recommend using a pen and paper to take notes unless that becomes too distracting.
Listening to these stories, you might learn something new, something between the lines that you didn’t catch before.
It makes me wonder, when will I want to tell my stories to young men and women of the new generation? Why will I want to do that? Perhaps it’s because I’ll have spent a lifetime learning and need to tell someone about everything I’ve learned? Is it expression? Or is it the story I’ll need to tell to comfort me for the last few years of my life; to immortalize me forever in the memories of those who hear. Should we all write our own autobiography? What kind of world would we live in if we all did just that and then were required to read an average man’s/woman’s autobiography that lived near you? I think the empathy would be overwhelming and extremely valuable to future generations.
stay tuned.
Sterling
