Maturity aches (the senior version of growing pains)

I feel the older I get the more I learn. That may, of course, be more do to necessity, seeing as I forget so much nowadays, rather than progressive development. Still, not a day goes without me either being introduced to some new trinket of previously unknown information or else I am struck dumbfounded by a true epiphany.

Sometimes it's enlightening.

Sometimes it's disheartening.

Last week while driving, I nearly wanted to cheer upon witnessing the return of cranes to the brown, Scandinavian landscape. When I first moved here more than two decades ago, one of my first outings with my then-boyfriend's parents was to a shallow lake where each spring literally hundreds of these lovely, gangly creatures engage in a mating dance for all to see. Back then I could hardly care less. Looking over a sea of spectators with campers, picnic baskets, binoculars, and camera objectives, it was apalling for me to see so many people with nothing better to do.

Today, me spotting just two birds in the middle of a muddy field fills my heart with joy. I've learned to appreciate the beauty and goodness of nature. The return of spring means more to me with each passing year. So that's a good example of learning.

I've mentioned in previous entries that I have a gift when it comes to bearing grudges. I jokingly say that it's part of my Catholic heritage, and keeping with tradition, much of my animosity is at times targeted towards my parents. What's so hard to get?! Why didn't they know better?! Wasn't it obvious?! Over and over I've played these tapes in my head.

Then all of the sudden it hit me. There was no way for them to know any better. Or at least it was a lot harder back then. Many of the truths I have been able to access have very much to do with the modern society I am able to raise my family in. My teachers have been among others Dr. Phil, Oprah, and Google. I won't even go into all that I learn from reading and just listening to the radio. Quite often they've been the voices of reason that have pointed out my own patterns of destruction and graciously offered an alternative.

I asked myself yesterday after this thought had struck me like a bolt of lightening, "How much of what you know, that which you do differently from your parents, would you have figured out on your own, without any input from your teachers?" Alas...zero is probably a safe guess.

Ouch.

I have shamelessly taken the crane photo from my girlfriend Jeanette's blog Handmade. I just love her photographs!