Growing older, Hope wiser: The first part of this blog is about growing older. You may wonder why we don’t just say aging. The concept of growing implies both physical and internal mental change, while aging implies physical changes, nothing more.

Reflections on aging

The keywords here are growing older and hope wiser. By this, I mean to imply real growth and increased wisdom, not just intelligence. Many people grow older and age but only sometimes become wiser. 

The line “ with age comes wisdom” does not necessarily hold. What do I mean by that? Look around you in your daily encounters at the grocery store, work, church, and sporting events. Take a good look and listen to the conversations and off-hand comments anywhere you go. Watch the actions and reactions, especially the older folks, because this is about growth vs aging. 

Some folks act all grown up, some are, and some are just acting because, in their daily interactions, they become petty, angry, jealous, selfish, and the list goes on. Others are not so well hidden; their actions are overt, like children or teenagers who never grew up. Their actions do not match their age; they have aged but have not grown wiser. They continually fall into the same old patterns of behavior, patterns of self, and other destruction. And they continue to expect different results. They spit vileness, petty jealousy, and unkindness toward others who are not like them. 

As I continue to age physically, I will grow and become wiser. 

We now come to the second part, “Hope Wiser.” As I explained, age does not necessarily come with wisdom, but with Growth comes wisdom.

Until I embraced Buddha’s philosophy, I was aging and growing very slowly because I still fell into the same behavior patterns. I wondered why I was so unhappy all the time. I felt life was unfair to me, and people were not following the script I envisioned. I wasn’t growing and learning; I was aging.

Growth Morning meditation on wisdom

“With growth comes wisdom,” understanding that all persons, all living creatures, have a fundamental need to be happy and to be free from suffering. They must know that in their struggle for happiness and freedom from suffering, they create the causes of unhappiness and pain by behaving in ways that destroy the joy and freedom they crave.

In conclusion, I wish you Growth and wisdom.