I agree. If one is an asshole at forty this person will still be pretty much an asshole at eighty. In fact,we become more of ourselves the older we get. And just because a person reaches eighty doesn't mean they will be a font for all wisdom. But we can still learn from this wise old asshole. One of the most incredible human beings I ever met was a woman by the name of Dr.Louise Belai. Birthplace: Vienna,Austria. She was 98 when she died a few years ago. She had three doctorates. One of those doctorates was in Physics. She was way ahead of her time,a pioneer for women. We became great friends....I in my thirties at the time and she in her nineties.(age difference did not matter) Some of the stories she told me about concerning Nazism and Fascism were just fascinating. I couldn't wait to visit her. And to top it off she was so humorous. She did her best to teach me Deutch,and we had many laughs with this. (I have her passport from the 1930's with Hitler's swastika emblazoned on it) Anyway,I love her and miss her kindness. Forgetting about her brilliance,the doctorates,she was able with all her worldliness to maintain a childlike disposition. She was soooo sweet and so very kind. She wasn't a whiner,in fact when I first met her I didn't realize that she was blind. She was devout Catholic and at her funeral many of her former students were there. This speaks volumes. She was definitely a font of all wisdom!!
Bree > >Included here is part of a rpely to an offlist mail. Beofre when gets the >hump >about somthing that is written, one could make certain one has read it >correctly. >NOWHERE did i say old people were valuless or even that they are all >lacking in >wisdom. My point is that age does not confer wisdom. >People are sentimental about both the elderly and the very young and both >are >treated appallingly. > >"To me wisdom means something else entirely tho, rather than practical >knowledge. >it has more to do with human nature and 'spirituality'. I have found that >the >elderly, however they are classed(!), are just as likely to be prejudiced, >sexist, >racist, homophobic and stupid as the young. That is what i meant.. that in >the >wisdom of life, old people are no better than the young. the only p[eople, >of >whatever age, that may have wisdom are those that seek it and keep their >mind open. > >As for other types of learning, yes you are right, older people have much >to offer. >All the practical learning i have done about dog breeding and my knitting >has come >from older people that I have respect for. One of these people that i >respect for >his knowledge of dogs, i doo not respect for his attitude to life-he is >not wise >in that respect. his wife is. I love them both." > >[EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote: > > > colin - please do not speak for all the elderly. my grandparents did a > > better job at educating me than my parents did. i worked in a >convalescent > > home when i was younger. the elderly lived history. they have a lot to > > offer. as with any other lot there are the few who spoil it for the >others. > > > > respectfully, > > heather > > > > At 06:09 PM 1/18/02 +0000, colin wrote: > > > > >this sounds so lovely and sentimental but in reality it is just > > >sentimental. One > > >only needs to look at our world leaders and the elderly around us to >know that > > >this is not true. > > >Age does not confer wisdom on any of us. I wish that it did! No it has >to > > >worked > > >for and gthe mind has to be kept open for the possibilty that wisdom >might > > >come. > > >Many of the mature are 'set in their ways'. > > >On the other hand, very young children often speak wisely beforee their >heads > > >are filled with crap! > >-- >bw >colin >DAK,BRO GC, 950i, 940,860,864,890, 260,Silver 830,860, 580 and 270, Passap >6000, >Duo80. > >[EMAIL PROTECTED] >http://www.tantra-apso.com _________________________________________________________________ Get your FREE download of MSN Explorer at http://explorer.msn.com/intl.asp.
