Blog 113 – 9.10.15

There are, I think, three basic phases and or approached to life. I also think or believe our happiness depends on which of those three we we allow most to captivate our mind, influence our thinking, shape our words, and inspire our actions.

The first phase or approach to life is that of a child. I like to refer to this as the awe and wonder years. Every day is s new gift a wonderful adventure with new things to see and do, new people and places to meet and go, and so much more to learn and love. It is the wide eyed child that sees the tremendous beauty in the tiniest details of life.

And contrary to what we are told by most adults when we are children the next phase or approach is the most difficult, dangerous, and least fun. It is adult or parent mode. It is said that nobody likes a “know-it-all” but parents and adults are expected to know it all. Since that is an impossible feat adults and parents spend way too much time faking it or apologizing for their lack of knowledge. Believe me, consciously children can see right through you. Sadly though subconsciously they believe everything you tell them. Please remember that before you say something stupid or mean to a child. Be real, be genuine, remember what you knew as a child, and if you are lucky you might as adults say to teens just live long enough to out grow this awkward stage.

Thirdly and finally for most if not all of us is the mature phase or approach. If one experiences enough of life and learns from those experience sometimes that translates into a bit of wisdom and peace of mind. Ironically when you get to the place where you have some of it figured out you are about out of time and few care to listen to your hard learned bits of sage advise and wonderful, if long, stories. But that’s okay because if you have really made it to the maturity and wisdom stage you know that one of the most mature and wise things you can do is to allow others to have there own experiences and to be children with all the awe and wonder and adults with all the posturing and pretense. Life is at best a mixture of these three phases and approaches. It is a wonderful life.

Your friend and fellow traveler,
David White