By Lutheran Hillside Village
In the Bible, God appeared to the Israelite King Solomon. He said, “Ask for whatever you want me to give you.” Solomon answered God, “…Give me wisdom and knowledge, that I may lead this people, for who is able to govern this great people of yours?”
King Solomon is regarded as the one of the wisest rulers. And, for most of us, wisdom is a virtue that isn’t innate or asked for from God but acquired through a lifetime of experience and application. We recently sat down with three residents from Lutheran Hillside Village Senior Living Community who bestowed the wisdom of their 200+ combined years of experience.
What are some of the most important lessons you feel you have learned over the course of your life?
Marian: I’m a big people person, so for me, family is forever. The good, the bad, the peaks, the valleys—through it all, you’re connected with your family. Sometimes things can’t be worked out, and then you have to come to peace with yourself. Or you learn to accept people for as they are and how they fit into your life and how you fit into theirs.
Gene: I would say that you must use the talent that God has given you and do your very best. And while there are always things that I wish I had done better, I always think of that as one of the most important lessons I’ve learned as I’m getting older. And then I would also say that everyone should be fair to all concerned—meaning not having a superior attitude but always doing what you can to help those around you.
Jean: Difficulties and pain, problems and death, the things you suffer from—it doesn’t last forever and eases with time. Difficulties are not permanent, they’re lessons. I’m 81 and have lost three daughters prematurely, my parents, and spouses, and through it all, I found that I have grown because of these difficulties. I’ve learned to be more patient from each of these occurrences and to always look forward to what each season of life brings.
If you could say one thing to your younger self, what would it be?
Marian: You can’t have too many really good friends. I say that because at this age I’m beginning to lose some important people in my life, and it has made me cherish the time we had together. Time with friends is an investment well worth it.
Gene: I would go back and tell myself to love all people and to spend as much time with my family as possible. I had to give a lot of time up with my children because of my work, and in retrospect, I would have liked to have spent more time with them. Not that we didn’t have good times together and didn’t spend a lot of time together, but now I look back, and I just want more.
Jean: Just wait. Don’t try and hurry life along. I wanted to run through life and even run away from certain points in my life. And I used my energy in the wrong way. I think I would have matured faster had I slowed down and not rushed through some important lesson-building points of my life. And then I’d say to myself to spend more time in nature. We have so much going on now, and it’s important to slow down and take time to be quiet.
What are you still learning now?
Marian: You can’t save too much for retirement! I would encourage young people to learn how to budget, to pay attention to their use of credit cards, and to learn that saving and investing are two very different things. I’m sitting down with my grandson who’s 18 and we’re already looking into how he can save for retirement.
Gene: I’m learning to appreciate those around me. There are some mighty fine people who are my neighbors and friends, and they all come with stories and life experiences. I’m learning a lot from them. And I’m also learning about forgiveness. You can’t hold on to past grievances, and it’s better to just love those around you.
Jean: I’m still learning patience. You can always continue to learn patience, and it’s interesting that for a number of years, my friends would tell me that I was patient, and I felt comforted by that. But now I feel like there are some new struggles that have shown me I need even larger amounts of patience.
With over 50 years of experience in senior care and living, Lutheran Hillside Village Senior Living Community has garnered wisdom — daily living out the mission of “Older Adults Living Life to the Fullest.” Stop by and see for yourself. It’ll be the wisest thing you do! Contact Bridgette at 309-692-4600.
Photo credit: Susan Chiang/iStock