As you get older ( Archived) (4)

AS YOU GET OLDER YOU HAVE THE RIGHT:

to say you know something, from having lived a while

to say you've learned something, from having been around a while

to have learned from experience, from having done a few things

to have learned from observation, from having watched and listened

to decide that you know what you think, because you've had enough time to have thought about things

to have altered your opinions about some things, because you've experienced things and learned from them, and because you've had time to think and rethink things

to have retained your opinions about some things, because you've had time to observe life and to rethink things, and to have seen which of your earlier opinions have held up over time

to decide that you don't particularly care about the opinions of others, because you've heard most of them many times before, and you've seen what little value was in most of them and how very little use there ever is in trying to argue or debate with anybody about anything, how little it ever accomplishes

to prefer to be left alone

to not care whether you're living up to other people's expectations

to admit that you don't know some things, because nobody knows everything

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WHEN YOU'RE YOUNGER, YOU ALSO HAVE CERTAIN RIGHTS:


to say you know something, from having lived a little while

to say you've learned something, from having tried a few things

to learn from experience, and to try a few different things for yourself

to learn from observation, to watch and listen

to try to decide what you think, because you have to reach those decisions on your own

to alter your opinions about things, because you still have a lot of new things to experience and learn from, and because you have time to think and rethink things

to retain your opinions about some things, as you observe life and see which of you opinions hold up over time

to decide that the opinions of others don't have to rule your life, because you have to make your own decisions and determine your own life

to choose to be alone if you really prefer it

to question other people's expectations of you

to admit that you don't know things, because that's how you learn

Yes, I had one of those too!