by COSS Blog Contributor Joann Homen

Take a moment and think about this statement “To be old and wise, you must first be young & stupid”
It occurred to me as I was driving around yesterday doing a few errands that I have been through a lot in my life. Some of those experiences have been bad but for the most part my life has been pretty good.
I thought, gheesh, I wish there was a way to obtain wisdom and knowledge in our lives without having to go through the negative experiences of our youth. But then I realized that those less than pleasant experiences have facilitated the most growth in my life. This growth has led to a wisdom that can only be achieved by going through life and the various experiences it brings with it.
I thought I love where I am right now in life, but how wonderful it would be to go back 30 years and have the wisdom and knowledge I have learned over my lifetime at that time. This would be WONDERFUL!
Then I realized that it is through the inexperience of being young that we flourish into the wiser ones we are today.
Take comfort knowing that what you are going through in your life will facilitate a wiser you, a you that has:
❤️ Learned to pick your fights and when to walk away from them,
❤️ Learned to go with the flow and not sweat the little things in life
❤️ Learned that the world is full of wonder if you slow down and take the time to see it for it in all its glory.
These youthful experiences are a catalyst for this learning, so, embrace your life experiences, the good, the bad and everything in between because they are the steppingstones for a happier tomorrow.
Take comfort in knowing that as you age and process, absorb the lessons of your life’s experiences that they will serve you well as an older person because you will have learned what really matters in life.