The Wisdom of Age – Janice Lorraine – 18 JUN 2023
At 80 years of age, I look back and see the stupid things I’ve said and done and the stupid decisions I made. But I wonder if I’d known more then, would my life have been as interesting? It probably would’ve been easier, but would it have been better, and would it have been as exciting and diverse?
As a teenager I thought I could do anything. Nothing seemed impossible. The world was my ouster and so with all the confidence in the world I married at 23 with all the confidence in the World and it turned out to be a disaster! The man I married had left school at 15 with no qualifications. He did however come from a loving family. The whole thing was over in 23 years, after being informed by him that he had met someone else. Initially I was devastated but as it turned, his exit turned out to be a wonderful and exciting adventure. It gave me the freedom to explore my individuality and it also opened up a whole new wonderful world for me.
After the initial shock of his departure I began an exciting and wonderful adventure which allowed me to be myself as well as experience life unencumbered. However, exploring life takes courage, as it might not turn out the way we’d like it too, but the upside is, that with every experience we dare to embrace, we become more and more able to go forward and become more enriched. So don’t let life pass you by, by pandering to the norm or fixating on the past. Life is there to explore and understand, with all its ups and downs. The alternative is to focus on the past and stagnate. This can only lead to death of the spirit.
Stepping outside the norm can be a frightening experience. It’s not easy to step outside the norm. Things might not go well, and tongues might wag. People might laugh at you or even vilify you and castigate you and call you stupid. If this happens to you, take a look at those who call you stupid and ask yourself, “Would you like to be like them!”
Follow your dreams.
