Agism vs Experience

I'm taking a management class at the local junior college. There is a group of young men - probably all in their 20's who snicker when I open my mouth to discuss, ask questions or contribute to the class.

I've owned (still own some) businesses, worked in many fields, lived in many parts of the country - I'm double most of their ages! They could all be my sons, and possibly even my grandsons, if they are young enough.

It gripes me that youth can't learn from experience. They look at my gray hair, overweight body and wrinkles, and think I have nothing in my past. Just because they have no past, doesn't mean I have no past. In my youth, I was cute, skinny, and very active in life. I was busy making mistakes, failing, and trying again.

There's a lady in the class who's either been in an accident or had a stroke or something. Part of her body doesn't work. She's intelligent and interesting. She's a winner. She didn't roll over and die just because she has a disability. I admire her a lot. These boys - I'm sure that eventually they will have a thought worth thinking, and a dream worth pursuing.

But you know, how many of them have a side business that pays them almost $200/mo without doing anything? It's not a lot, but it's something. It makes more if I pay attention to it and answer e-mails. I have earned over $500/mo from it, when I was paying attention to it. And yeah, it can all go away in a flash.

It just makes me wonder. Was I like that in my 20's? I'd like to think that I honored older people a little better. Gert, Helen, Veronica - the women who passed through my life when I was that age. All gone now, but they each had something to teach me. My mom had lessons to teach me, too. I had a harder time with her lessons, but I'm thinking about some of them lately.

I hope these young folks I'm meeting today will see wisdom, not just failure or strength, in me.