The Pressure to be Wise

After the last several weeks of a life in constant flux and turmoil I needed a little "me" time and pulled out the last issue of AARP Magazine that I hadn't had a chance to read on my downtime. The first thing that made me chuckle was the fact that Bruce Springsteen was on the cover. Yes he will turn the big 60 this year. It is hard to believe for me but then every time I hear someone either a celebrity or just us every-day-Joe's and Jenny's it still boggles my mind. I guess it is my attempt to not admit I am getting older right along with everyone else.

One of those moments was recently attending my 30 year high school reunion. Those years came flooding back as soon as I stepped into the room. My fears of not being good enough, what people perceive you to be or not to be, I know it is silly even after all these years but like everyone those were stressful times and fun times too. I am not exactly sure what outweighed the other even today.

The fact that my memory of events and people baffled alot of people because as anyone knows I am like an elephant and I don't forget things from the past, sometimes my present or close to present isn't that cloud free but think it's more by choice then not.


Everyone was still concerned of all there great accomplishments and those of there kids and yes grandkids but reunions are what they are and the experience was something I probably would do over again...Only time will tell....

In this same issue of AARP was an article with the above title. The article by Margaret Atwood chronicles her participation in a series of videos called Wisdom Keepers. Without having viewed these videos my take was that they are tools for just about anyone be it teenagers (young adults as they would prefer to be called), less young adults, thirty-somethings, middle aged and what the French call "that certain age" of mellow, mature.

I have always detested the categories we are always put in. I disliked being a pre-teen, (I never felt like I was taken seriously), from the age of 17-28 (I was always the youngster on the block no matter where I worked or was involved in) when I hit 30 (that was probably the black cloud in the room period, still not exactly sure why) and by the time you hit 40 you and everyone around you seems to forget your birthday right along with you whether by choice or the out of sight-out of mind syndrome..

One comment that the author makes was a little bit of a wake up call for me: At 20 you know everything. At 70 you're not so sure.... I am still a little bit one to shake my head at this because..what about the in between? Is this to mean that you are constantly learning either from the masters or non-masters and until you reach the age of maturity you aren't as wise as you think or as wise as other perceive you to be?

I have no crystal ball, yes I have a degree from the school of hard-knocks and my tough experiences by some probably are not as life shattering as other's but only time will tell.. When other's ask advice I think my new motto will be, "Hey I am just along for the ride, on the wisdom merry-go-round"...