Be A Work In Progress

I have noticed that the elderly folks who live a very active life and are comfortable with the world around them are those who are not so rigid in their thinking and ways. They are constantly learning. They are the 60 year old on Twitter, the 70 year old writing a book and blogging, the 80 year old who actively uses his iPad and the 85 year old who uses his smartphone as well as a 20 year old.

You might say they don't exist. Well, I have come across many. Maybe they are not so many in Nigeria and that is why most of our elderly ones do more of complaining than creating. But there are still those who are in the category I described above. They are always adapting to the new world, learning new things and creating something.

There are a work in progress. Even at age 80.

And so I admonish everyone of us who aren't yet 50 to emulate them, Be a work in progress. Keep learning. Especially in fields dominated by youths. There are 60 year old web programmers. They learned what most people regard as just for the unmarried youth. There are 80 year old active novelists. They write a new book as often as they can. 

The moment you stop learning the new hippy things and you stop creating any currently relevant work you are molding yourself into an elder who will complain about every thing and be out of sync with the real world.

Don't give way to rigidity in your thinking. Don't try to have an answer for everything. Have questions. Ask questions. Be curious. Have an open mind. Keep learning. Be unashamed to make mistakes at what your 12 year old niece is great at. Learn continuously. Get on the web, it is the portal to the new world. Read, watch educative videos and expand your mind.

Let everyday equip you with more tools/skills. Learn daily. Seek out knowledge. Be a work in progress. Always.