Arthur Patterson shares his advice on life with a friend’s son.
Recently I was asked to offer a little hard-earned wisdom to a friend’s son who was turning 30. It was a great idea — asking people he knew, but were further on in life than him, to offer advice. Were they sure they wanted advice from me, though? At twice his age, I at least have the gray hair to look wizened. But I see life’s learnings as cumulative.
How can I give advice when I am still learning? Nonetheless, I gave it my best try with the following: Welcome to the last decade of life where your body gives you more pleasure than pain. I say that with a wink, because it doesn’t have to be true.
But this definitely would be the time to get in the Mount Kilimanjaros and Whitneys of your life. If I had one decade to live over and over, it would be my thirties. Why? Because you have been blessed with a modicum of perspective by this point, there is so much of the world left to see, you know what you like and dislike in life and you may have the opportunity to make forever friends.
To paraphrase Henry Ford, “Society lives by circulation, not by congestion.” He was right. And this is the best time in life to circulate. Face fears of the unknown with curiosity and pragmatism. This might include learning to line dance, going to a dinner theater, reading a lurid bestseller, embracing AI, hearing what the other side has to say or giving something, or someone, a second chance.