The older I get (BTW – I’m not that old although my children think I’m a fossil) the more I enjoy hanging out with kids and older people because in some ways they’re very similar. Most kids haven’t become cynical and still view the world as an exciting place full of possibilities. And most older people who have attained even a modicum of enlightenment after being on this planet for a long time, dealing with a lot of people and developing some wisdom, realize that most of the things people worry about really don’t matter a lot in the big scheme of things. And therefore they lighten up and enjoy life.
So it’s the people in the middle between being young and being old that you have to watch out for. You know the ones. The ones who judge people based on the car they drive, the school they went to, the CFP, MBA, PhD or EIEIO after their name on their business card. The ones who have forgotten what they knew when they were little about what life is all about. The ones who haven’t developed enough wisdom yet to realize that this too shall pass so let’s focus on the things that matter. Spend more time with kids and older people. There’s huge lessons to be learned. And remembered.