Tag Archives: wisdom

Mentors

Know what you are doing. Grants have replaced me with a kid out of college reading a book for dummies just because he’s cheap. A few months later my phone rings and I’m back on the job.

Know good people. I do. I’ve learned from them for 20 years and if I get out of retirement they’ll have my back and I’ll do the same, but I’m a bit rusty so give me a moment. Kick in wisdom.

Don’t be cocky. Learn from the masters. I have a few. Some business-related, some personal. It’s a loyalty thing and they put you through their paces. If you’re in, you’re in.

I know this has covered more territory than it should but wisdom says if you know it, you can do it. Dee

Fragility

Life is fragile. We “lose” people. they’re not lost, they’re gone from us forever. We lose some and they’re still living, but still lost in a way.

When we’re young we think we’re invincible, in our 30’s and 40’s we go along and get along, doing all we can for our families. In our fifties we could be on top of the world but still faces and bodies begin to sag.

Then, I guess we’re to choose between Botox and plastic surgery or just getting old, hopefully together with someone we love. I prefer the latter.

Just as we become comfortable, parents begin to age and there are flights here and there in these times. We also begin to think of our own aging.

A good thing comes with this if one is lucky, and that is wisdom. It’s even better if someone else benefits from that wisdom that we can share. Luckily we are at an age where we can still obtain wisdom from our elders and impart it to a younger generation.

Many of our friends and family are gone but others remain and we hope to remain close to them for the rest of our lives while remembering those who went before us.

I will try my best to be closer to the family and friends I have. I will not make Christmas cookies, because they’d be overcooked or burned and I don’t make cookies. I may try a pannetone bread pudding this year but only if I buy the cake.

OK, I may make a trifle for Jim’s office, and dinner for any office and neighborhood “strays” or adult “orphans” from the neighborhood for Christmas dinner. It’s the least I can do. Hear than Andrew? And J, you can bring the girlfriend!  We’ll initiate her to the inevitable parent situation.

No, I’m not a matchmaker, just want your roads to be less bumpy than ours. Cheers and happy holidays to you and yours. Dee