Pride

The older one gets, the more pride one has, it seems. We find it difficult to listen to young people, to admit that our ideas may be outdated or inferior to others, and to admit that we don't have answers all the time. We put up an all-knowing front, conceal our doubts and ignorance, and tries to talk down the junior ones among us.

With age, comes expectations, naturally. People expect older folks to be wiser, more refined, less impulsive. They are right. If older folks haven't learned all these years how to be wiser & less foolish, to be humble, and less arrogant, then those years might as well not have been given to us!

As we grow, we can do so gracefully. We need not know everything, but that's all right. We can share with the younger ones our fears, doubts, and uncertainty, because we are only human, and so are they! I do not think an older person will command less respect simply because he has made known his shortcomings; on the contrary, I will respect anyone, young or old, who's forthcoming and transparent when dealing with his limitations, because such a person is humble and not afraid to tell others that he still has much to learn and overcome.

And rightly so. We are not God. Till the day we meet Him face to face, we have much to improve upon, because we are all soooo imperfect; why bother to put up an all-knowing front, and put others down?

Let's learn to be humble, listen more, and talk less.

Category: Sounding Board, cf_