How The Elder's Wisdom Inspires My Thoughts And Life's Ambitions

I have figured out one thing from a few of the generations that have come before my time. The term older is not as significant to the earlier generations, as is the term wiser. I have found that the years do not measure these folks as much as the wisdom does. Life experience has it's own distinct way of marking my elders that only time can achieve. It seems to me that no matter what people do in their lives, it is the length of the life itself, that plants the seeds of wisdom so carefully and considerably. The years have a way of making people understand things that just can not be explained or learned without putting in the time. I would almost assume that with each new Spring, another hot Summer, the rerun of harvesting and the recalling of Christmas' past, has a way of building the wiser generations into the knowledgeable people they become. Wisdom is the gift of years notched out in a life's time.

You have strong bonds with the wiser set who are filled with stories How has their company and stories inspired your own writing, what can we all come away with when we listen to what they have to say?

Frieda Babbley, left this request and I feel compelled to answer it to the best of my ability. My motivation here is based on the desire to RING attention to generations of people who came before I was born. The elders, in some cultures are treated with such great respect and consideration that it is easy for me to see and understand why. This may not be the case with many people today so I will try my best to relate to everyone, what it is that lends me inspiration from the wonderful ones. What are the basis for my own strong bonds developed with the generations filled with time and wisdom?

I have to say that there are three simple words to explain what I have found as gifts that are extended freely from almost all of the folks who I have had the pleasure of learning from. It is a relatively simple thing to see in all of them if you take the time to pay attention to members of generations that have come before you. The most important word to describe these people is SURVIVAL. I say that because without this they would not be around to tell the stories and share the knowledge that they have acquired from life's experiences.

Survival

It is not guaranteed to any living creation on this planet. I honestly feel that there is something to be said for the strong surviving. It is genetically programed in all life forms. I like to use the Salmon as an example for writing on this subject.

Salmon spend a certain time during their reproductive season swimming against the natural flow of the water. They travel back up stream. They go against the flow returning to their own place of birth to lay their eggs and therefore recreate. Their journey is long and hard and against all odds. They strive to make it back to lay their eggs and there is nothing short of death that will stop them from making this journey. Survival is an instinct and though the big female fish will lay a million eggs, it is only a very small percentage of those eggs that will survive to reproduce. Life is full of predators and only the strongest will survive life's journey.

Relating this thought to our own human population puts me in a position where I can feel nothing but the highest regard for those who can last in a world full of chaos. The odds are against us from the beginning and anyone who makes it last a long time gets my utmost respect simply for their ability to survive. Years may have whittled them down to the frail people they are today but there is an inner strength that exists within each of them that cannot be denied.

Love is the one thing that I have seen in all eyes from the wiser generation. I know that a lot of times, people will tell me that this one or that one is "old and mean" or "full of hatred", maybe even "a little bit crazy" but. ...

I know that if you take a real close look, look deep, in to their eyes, you will almost always find LOVE. It may not be the kind of love that you can understand. It may not be that these folks have great love for other humans even. Could be they do not take much liking to people at all. Could be you can not get a grip to understand what motivates them but I will guarantee that LOVE has something to do with it.

A dog, a garden, fishing alone, watching a certain baseball team like it is some kind of religious experience, are all things that I have seen this wise generations place their love in. Yes many times it can be extreme and for me that is okay. Love is a key to survival and survival is the key to life. It all goes together like peanut butter and jelly on white bread. There is no complicated thing about it.

In fact, I think that it is almost too simple for some of us to understand sometimes. We are so conditioned for everything in life to feel so complicated that a simple thing like LOVE does not seem like it could be such a powerful mechanism for survival. Take that love and place it in a simple thing such as a rose bush and this could keep Grandma going for years. You can see it in the twinkle of her eyes... and if by chance Grandma hands you a bunch of those red roses to put in your vase, well let me just say that it would be such an honor!

Now it stands to reason and logic that one things leads to another in this old world. I would have to say that I do not know too many old folks who survived the depression without developing one hellashish sweet tooth. You wonder what I mean by that?

During the Great Depression people had little and sure did not afford the luxury of sweets in their daily diet. Pies, cakes and cookies were served only during very special occasions. Candy being almost pure sugar was really a rare treat. Over the years I took notice that the wise generation has a great appetite for sweets. That is because they know what the word APPRICIATION really means.

Take my own Mother as an example. She was born during the depression and grew up living a very frugal way of life. Her own Father owned the General Store, Feed Store and Gas Station in the town they lived in but, years of experience had created a way of life for most that was engineered with frugal attentions to detail. Nothing was wasted, squandered or taken for granted, (except maybe women but that is another story!)

Today, Mom has the appetite of a bird. You can serve her a plate of food and she will pick at all of it, eat just a bit and then claim to be full. Okay, so not wanting to force her to eat and make her have a sick stomach, I except her word of STUFFEDNESS. But...Bring on the DESSERTS and watch that little gleam come into those eyes. Suggest that she is too full for a larger piece of that fresh fruit pie and, see some very dirty look leap rapidly, across that sweet little face before, it hides and smiles big, in hopes of a HUNK of "heaven on earth", being put on her plate. Then sit back and watch that pie disappear like water poured into bone dry sand, I kid you not!

I know for a fact that, Mother really appreciates that pie, loves me for feeding it to her and could survive on nothing but sweets. That is a fact of life and I have grown to except it in my OLD AGE. and... Mother will tell you I am sweet when she has a desire for the second piece of pie and hopes to survive long enough to eat it.

This hub has a video worth watching and the hub itself is a tribute to those who have survived hard times. Please take a look and read for yourself. This Hub by Patty Inglish, MS is sure to be appreciated.

This Hub pays respect to Time and is an inspiration for those who are concerned for the moment. G-Ma Johnson has it going on with many of the Hubs she publishes here on HubPages and she is G-Ma for All Of Us Fortunate Hubbers. She knows the true meaning of HUGS!

Survival Basics are sketched out in this Hub by Bob Ewing. I will tell you this man is also the guy to read when it comes to utilizing your home grown goods in the kitchen. Bob is a wealth of information with his series on The Gardeners Kitchen Hubs.

I wrote this Hub and it has a message that is sure to inspire some of you in some way or another. I urge you to read it and then, somehow,  pay some sort of tribute to someone who has taught you a thing or two about life!

I had to write in jest about appriciation because, there is enough in life to create sad feelings, without my going there. It seems time is placing it's mark on me though I am here to tell you, I would rather play foolish and remain a child at heart. The truth is, we all take what we are ready for from the wise ones.

You can not feed the thoughts and feelings to anyone until they have an opening for the knowledge. When the heart and mind have an empty place to fill, then and only then, will the wisdom of time and, the love of life and, the appriciation of all that we know become evident to us. The wise ones are a gift to everyone who is willing to stop a while, look beyond the obvious and listen to the hearts of our own hearts.

A Special Thank You To Frieda Babbley

Finishing this Hub has been an inspiration to me. It was not on my agenda for today or tomorrow. I really had other plans.

Something special was blessed to me for writing this and though I can not put my finger on exactly what it is I have to admit that the last paragraph brought me to tears of JOY. Thank You Frieda, Thank You With All My Heart.