As I’ve grown older, I learn new things I should have learned a long time ago and I am still learning something new each day.
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As a child I learned that my dad and mom knew a lot more than I did. I learned that the tooth fairy doesn’t always come. Sometimes he’s broke. When I turned 12 I learned that my parents were very hard to live with. I learned that the older I got the less attention I got. It made me sad when I was the last one chosen. I learned that milk keeps my bones from bending over. I learned that if you laugh and drink soda pop at the same time it will come out your nose. I learned that my best friends were usually the ones who got me in trouble. I learned that my teacher always called on me when I didn’t know the answer. I learned that talking about your problems doesn’t always help.
Then when I became a teenager I learned that just when I got my room like I wanted it my Mom made me clean it up. I learned that teenage years comprised of tribulation, confusions, agony and love. I learned that animals can warm your heart better than people can. I learned that mom wouldn’t like my girlfriend even if she was the captain of her basketball team and sang in the church choir. I learned if you want to get even with someone at camp, rub their underwear in poison ivy. I learned that if there were no problems there would be no opportunities. I learned that it always made me feel good when I saw my parents holding hands. I learned that a good feeling gets better if it’s shared. I learned that learning to forgive takes practice. I learned that the little sayings you learned as a child, such as the Golden Rule, are still important.
As I grew older and entered the army and then the business world I learned that most of the things I worried about never happened. I learned that you can get by on charm for about 15 minutes and after that you’d better know something. I learned that you shouldn’t compare yourself to the best others can do, but to the best you can do. I learned that trust is the single most important factor in both personal and professional relationships and that nothing of value comes without effort. I learned that anticipation is often better than the real thing. I learned that at least once in your life you make a fool of yourself. I learned that education, experience and memories are three things no one can take away from you. I’ve learned that singing "Danny Boy" can lift my spirits for hours. I learned that you can’t expect your children to listen to your advice and ignore your example.
And now that I am an old man I’ve learned that moving away from my close friends was much harder than I ever thought it would be. If you smile at people they will almost always smile back. I also learned that the best thing about growing older is that now you don’t feel the need to impress people. I learned that there are still things I haven’t made up my mind about yet. I learned to keep looking ahead. There are still so many good books to read, sunsets to see, and friends to visit. And I have also learned that I still have a lot to learn at 92.