Advanced Wisdom

So I visited my grandparents last week and again yesterday, but this is the story of last week.
Sometimes I feel that I get more out of it than they do! Which is great in many ways. To begin with, my grandparents raised this little spitfire until I just became too unruly. It all went downhill from there. But I digress.
I truly enjoy my time with them. I don’t do it often but you know what, Im gonna really make an honest effort to visit them more often. They are truly GRAND. They are also great advisors. I believe that advice is easy to give yet hard to receive; but when it comes to a person of a certain age giving that advice, I tend to listen because as they say, “this aint my first rodeo.”
My grandma gave me some great advice yesterday. I took it for all it was worth and was quite surprised by it. This strong woman never ceases to amaze me. Having been a nurse for over 30 years and working over ten hours a day six days a week had a lot to say. She is unfortunately now in a wheelchair which she had in her late sixties while still on the job. We began to talk and she told me how she spent her entire life working to support her children but mostly because she liked the money that she made. Now, Ive always wanted to be like this woman and be hardworking and dedicated but yesterday she changed my entire perspective. She said, “what was it all for? The money? Where is it at now? Don’t spend your time working. Spend your time living. Money is only money. You cant take it with you. I worked myself into this chair.” It really made me think. We continued our conversation and I really left our visit enlightened. I just got a part time job so I could make a little extra money on the side for nicer things but I would never have free time to enjoy with family and friends or doing the things that I love. This conversation came at the perfect time in my life. Thanks Grandma. Love you.
Im also very excited about another thing. She told me that when I return to bring a box so I can take any picture that I like. Pictures from the 20’s,30’s, her beauty queen photos, my grandpa in his suits! Im so excited. This is more valuable to me than jewelry or any other possession she might want to pass on to me. I cant wait for my next visit. 

Be careful whose advice you buy, but, be patient with those who supply it. Advice is a form of nostalgia, dispensing it is a way of fishing the past from the disposal, wiping it off, painting over the ugly parts and recycling it for more than it's worth.



“To accept good advice is but to increase one's own ability” – Johann Wolfgang von Goethe