Today, on International Day of Older Persons, a lovely anecdote comes to mind- about how a young boy discovered that his once-intelligent and know-it-all father slowly but surely seemed to be losing his intelligence as the boy grew up.
As a child, the boy idolized his father, convinced he was a fountain of wisdom. His dad knew how to fix a bike chain, where the sun went at night, the exact height of Mt Everest and even why eating carrots was so important for good eyesight. Clearly, his father had the answers to all the mysteries of the universe. The boy remembered looking at him in awe, thinking, “I hope I can be half as smart as him one day.”
But when the boy became an adolescent, strange things seemed to happen to his dad. Suddenly, the man who once knew everything seemed utterly clueless. He couldn’t tell one music artist from another and didn’t understand why it was essential to stay out with friends until 2 AM. Worse, he believed the boy would actually use algebra and calculus outside of school.
The boy began to seriously wonder how he ever thought that this man was intelligent and smart. Why, his dad couldn’t even have a proper conversation with his friends!
By the time he reached his twenties, the boy, now a young man, and his father were at odds, disagreeing on almost everything— from career choices to life philosophies. Phrases like “back in my day” grated on the young man’s nerves, as did stories of how his father "had to walk miles to go to school every day’’.
But then, something peculiar seemed to happen as the young man approached his thirties. His father who he was sure had become slow-witted and unintelligent, now appeared to be regaining the intellect that the boy had once so admired. Strangely, and after many years, his father’s ideas, advice, and words seemed to make perfect sense. The young man was pleased. His father had finally begun to see his point of view, was offering sane advice, and was once again back to being smart, sharp, and insightful on all matters. Once again he could rely on the elderly man for advice, he was sure. So what had happened to his father during the past two decades, he wondered.
Today, on International Day of Older Persons, perhaps we should pause and reflect on not whether our parents have kept up with us, but whether we've grown wise enough to appreciate just how much they still have to teach us.
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