Older and Wiser!

The older we get the more we know – for most of us anyway!  The more you know the more likely you are to be teachers or mentors to other people.  Do you ever think about what you know and what you share with others?  I was listening to a radio program today and the speaker talked about “the curse of knowledge”.  He explained that knowing what you know often comes with the curse that you don’t remember not knowing it.  Think about that for a minute and apply it to knowledge and skills you have.  Can you think of a time when you didn’t know this?  This is the curse exactly!

Sharing what you know with others (being a mentor or a teacher) requires understanding the perspective of those who don’t know what you know.  Teaching a grandchild to read or basic skills of canning or sewing are things that may come naturally to you but may be a struggle for them.  Sharing knowledge with a neighbor about gardening or basic plumbing may seem simple to you but for them it may seem complex.  Thinking about a time when we didn’t know these things should help us to make it simpler, less complex and make for a longer lasting impression on the student or mentee.

I share this because I believe strongly that we all are mentors and teachers to those we know in our lives.  Ensuring success in this effort requires putting ourselves in their shoes or trying to see things from their perspective. Giving advice, sharing wisdom or encouragement are also areas that could benefit from this effort.  Growing older and wiser comes with the benefit of knowledge and sharing what you know can be rewarding.  Here are a couple ideas for mentoring:

1. Become a reading buddy at local schools;
2. Teach a child or grandchild a skill (cooking, sewing, gardening, woodworking);
3. Have coffee with a friend who is struggling and be prepared to listen more than you talk;
4. Make a tradition of certain things that teach family members recipes, methods or family history;
5. Volunteer to mentor a child or an adult through community organizations;
6. Become a museum docent and become a part of an organized approach to sharing history;
7. Encourage lifelong learning – take a class, join a group or join a travel club. Expand your knowledge and encourage others to do the same.

Quote of the week:

“Over the hill – I don’t even know what that means and why it’s a bad thing. When I go hiking and I get over the hill that means I’m past the hard part and there’s a snack in my future.”  Ellen DeGeneres

Happenings this week:

Tonight:  Movie night here in The Gathering Place at Stillwaters Estates!  Tonight’s movie is The Imitation Game, starring Benedict Cumberbatch and Keira Knightley.  Cumberbatch portrays the mathematical wizard who successfully cracks the German Enigma code in WWII.  Ice cream is served at 5:45 with the movie starting promptly at 6.

Friday, July 17^th:  Music in the Park:  Chehalis, Recreation Park (Penny Playground), 7 p.m. to 9:30 p.m.  Here is the four week schedule:

July 17: The Voetberg Family Band

July 24: Borrowed Time: The Music of Styx and Third Stage: A Tribute to Boston

July 31: The New Blues Brothers Power Revue

Aug. 7: Randy Linder with Steve Stefanowicz, and The Randy Linder Band’s Tribute to CCR

For more information, contact the Chehalis Parks Department at (360) 748-0271.

Weather:

After a few days of cooler weather we are headed for a hot weekend with Saturday predicted to be cloudy and 95 degrees.  The gardens are loving all this sunshine!