Tell The Truth Thursday – Older People

Welcome to “Tell The Truth Thursday” where the question that has been posted in my right side bar gets answered by me and you…and my husband Tom too! We all like his men’s meme, so it will be fun to contrast our answers. Did you prepare your post and are you ready to drop your URL into the Linky so that we all can follow? I hope so!

The question this week is:

Do you feel that advice from older people carries a special weight because of their greater experience?

First we will hear from Tom this week (in blue)…

My answer to that question depends very much upon the nature of the subject and the circumstance for which I seek advice. If it is a technical matter, I would seek out the most recently, best educated and well trained person on the topic which would more likely be a younger person.

Something of a social studies, political or relationship nature, I would rely more upon the shared experience of a more mature person with greater life experience and wisdom. This would probably be an older person.

I have to agree with Tom on this question. I am a lover of older people with white hair. I don’t know why, but I have hypothesized that maybe it is the peaceful aura that surrounds them. At sixteen, I was telling my mom that men in their 40’s were “hot” and I did not find anyone my age or slightly older very attractive or desirable. Mom was very worried that I was going to end up marrying an 80 year old when I turned 20.

That still makes me laugh.

When I was in my twenties, I became friends with an older woman who lived in a retirement home. Her name was Agnes. She wasn’t in the best of health and couldn’t see well, but she told such fabulous stories. We used to pick her up for church when she felt healthy enough, but during the off weeks when she wasn’t feeling well, we would spend the afternoon reading and listening to her life stories. Many times we brought her to family dinner at Mom’s house and by the end of the day, she was pretty tuckered out. She was tired, but happy.

I still remember the sound of her voice and the brightness on her face when she saw me walk into her room. Friendship is truly ageless. I didn’t have Alyssa back then and Agnes helped the emptiness I felt being without a child and I took away some of her loneliness. Sometimes I would stop during the week and visit with Agnes for an hour or until she fell asleep. She knew she had my undivided attention (no cell phones back then) and we often talked about husbands, children, parents and her youth. Agnes would share the mistakes she had made and the unhappiness the consequences had caused in her life. I listened to her intently because she was not only interesting and could animatedly tell a story, but her advice and experience could be directly applied to my own life.

It is hard to believe that was over twenty years ago. I remember Agnes told me one time that although she loved her husband, he had stifled her progression. “Wouldn’t it be great,” she said, “if we had a do over card?” While struggling through the consequences of bad choices, I have also wished for my own do over card.

Yesterday when I was in my book cabinet, my hand lingered over the book she had given me from her own small library. Having aged and matured, I now realize that Agnes and I were alike in many ways. Our age difference, her poor health, my childlessness…none of it mattered. We were two women…sisters in spirit…daughters of a loving Heavenly Father. Agnes was the wise one giving me wonderful advice for the life that was ahead of me which she had gained from the life experience that was behind her.

When I closed the cabinet, I felt grateful for having known Agnes during her last few years of life. Especially thankful that I was humble enough to be open to her wisdom and friendship.

Now it is your turn to link your post…