31 Habits of a JoyFULL Wife, Habit Number 13 - Seek Life's Lessons from an Elder

My dad schooling me on the fine art of grilling steaks

So here is a photo of my dad and I. That's right, I said my DAD. He might not look like it  (and he sure doesn't act like it) but he is a card-carrying senior citizen.  When we're young, we really don't want to hear much from the adults in our lives, particularly if their hair is gray and their skin is sagging. But oh how I wish I could hear from my grandparents.

It's amazing how I am able to recall many of the home remedies my grandmother used for me when I was a young'un. I even use some of them with my grandchildren because to tell you the truth, they work as well or even better than prescribed medication. People call that "holistic" medicine nowadays (my grandmother would laugh at that.)

I also miss my Nana's cooking lessons, advice on how to stretch a dollar and how to handle parenting young adults. But fortunately, she was there for me when my girls were teens.

Older people have a wealth of wisdom to share because they've been where most of us are trying to go. It doesn't matter whether they only received a 3rd grade education like my grandmother, who worked as a domestic/granddad had even less education and worked at Ford Motor Company's Rouge Plant, a high school education and worked as a first line supervisor like my mom; or a doctorate degree and was a top level corporate executive level like my dad.  They ALL have and had sage wisdom to share.

I could have saved myself a lot of heartaches, headaches and even money if I'd sought their advice early on. Now I cherish the memories I have from those who've gone on and I embrace the wisdom my parents are able to pass on to me.  At age 56, and a grandmother myself,  I'm inclining my ear to my mom and dad's lips because when I grow up, I want to be just like them.