Tuesday, May 5, 2009

I Like Things Simple...

Isn't it strange that when we were younger, we never seemed to listen when our folks tried their best to warn us about the world and give us a bit of guidance?

There is an old adage that as we get older, we are amazed at how much smarter our parents have become. Guess it's always been that way!

I was the oldest out of four children, and the only boy. It only stood to reason that I knew everything already! I didn't always take direction well and very seldom listened to advice.

Only now am I starting to understand fully what my parents were trying to share. It's a crying shame I couldn't have done so at a much earlier age. It would have served me well through some self inflicted tough spots.

Anyway, I found this song that pretty much says all that my Mom and Dad tried to say to me when I wore a younger man's clothes. The information and the message is timeless, passed down from one generation to the next, destined to fall again on deaf ears! I guess it's true what they say...youth is wasted on the young!




I started off thinking that I knew all the answers, but now I realize I don't even know many of the right questions! Sort of seems backwards, doesn't it?

Alright, my friend! Now let's get a fresh cup of coffee and sit on the patio for a bit. We can discuss how much we didn't listen to and learn from when we were younger...

19 comments:

Sue said...

I don't think there is anyone out there that ever listened to their parents. On a bright note, my son told me last year he wished he had listened to me.....I'm finally past the "rolling eyes" stage with him!! Yea!!

TEAM HALL said...

Great post this morning, Jim!
Have a fabulous day!
Cath

Anonymous said...

Very good advice Jim;
To soon we get old to late we get smart. But we survive.

riverwalker said...

I tried to advise my children to learn from my mistakes. I told them they were going to make enough mistakes of their own without having to repeat the ones I made.

RW

Pat Riot said...

Ain't it the truth Jim. My own kids are no different than I was at their age. It's good that some things never change that way we know what to expect. I have seen as they get older how they tend to listen more to US parents even if they don't want us to think so. Girls are better at taking advice most times. Boys are more stubborn.

Great post. I like the Back to the Family approach. Not enough focus on the family in the world. Keep up the good work. Mark

Phelan said...

Thanks HJim, twice this morning my eyes have watered. Now why on earth would this post get me chocked up. Because in august of '07 I wrote a post called a Simple Kind of Man . It's about my husband, and all the hell he has been through, and we have been through.

He learned a lot from his parents. The only child in that family that seems to have. I learned a lot from my family, and am ever so grateful I did pay attention at a young age. I just hope my boys are really paying attention.

HermitJim said...

Hey Sue...
It's always a special thing when a child realizes that mom or dad isn't completely in the dark about life! To have one say "I wish I would have listened to you" must be a very special feeling indeed! To get past the rolling eyes...priceless!

Thanks for your visit, Sue. I appreciate it


Hey Cath...
Thanks for the kind words this morning, and thank you as well for coming by! Have a good day...


Hey Tony...
I guess that it's true that hindsight is always 20/20! Surviving is what it's all about, isn't it?

Thanks for the visit, my friend!


Hey RW...
Sounds like very sage advise to me, my man! All we can do is hope they take it to heart!

Hey, thanks for the visit...!


Hey Mark...
I do believe that as far as children go, history does indeed repeat itself at times!

You're right in the fact that at some point, our kids start listening to us, without letting us know that they are!

Mark, I really apprecite the visit today!


Hey Phelan...
I think that your husband is a lucky man to have not only your love, but your support! Sometimes I believe the support is more important!

Your belief in him probably gives him an inner strength at times when he needs it the most.

Knowing you , even if it's only through your writing, I'd be willing to bet that the boys are paying attention because they see that Mom and Dad walk the walk and are teaching by example!

I feel very honored to have you come by and comment!

JoJo said...

Good morning Mr Hermit,
Good post and song. I have 4 kids and I know for sure only one listens. But when your grandchildren call you for advise that really strikes a cord. Maybe thats what it takes, the next generation. I could hardly believe that call yesterday from one of the 18yr grandsons who may have a big problem. But he called me. Maybe I had more time to pay attention to them, even though I always worked, maybe it is the quality time you spent with then and learned from your own mistakes. I never spoiled my grandkids with all the junk so many give theirs. And I never interfered unless I thought I really had to and never in front of the children. I just loved them.
Now I think I need a refill. Please
JoJo

HermitJim said...

Hey JoJo...
The very fact that the grandson called you for advice, speaks volumes about how wise he knows you are. The fact that he can feel good about turning to you for support without being judged says a lot about how he recognizes that you love him.

Thank you o much for coming by today...I'm honored to have yuou as a friend!

Frugal Canadian Hermit said...

Good post Jim, I know exactly where you are coming from with this one. Nice tune also.

HermitJim said...

Hey FCH...
I guess that we all are little guilty of this from time to time. I'm glad you could associate with the post...and I'm certainly happy that you took the time to drop by!

blondie said...

Thanks for the song and the memories Jim :)
Always enjoy your thoughts.
Later :))

HermitJim said...

Hey Blondie...
Good to see you! Don't get to see you enough these days, so all your visits are even more special!

Glad you enjoyed the song...and thanks for coming by!

Gwen said...

Jim, thanks for another great post. I wish I would have heeded my parents advice, and I certainly wish they will still around so I could ask questions now.

Catman said...

Aging is a bitch. If it is a good thing, I no longer have to see the bemusement in my dad's eyes every time circumstances proved his wisdom faultless, and his advice correct.

But I still hear him every night as I close my eyes.

"Told You So".

HermitJim said...

Hey Catman...I often hear my Dad gently saying to me "Calm down, take a deep breath, and do like I told ya"...

Hey, thanks for coming by!

Cygnus MacLlyr said...

What's the old adage-- "as a teen, move out of the house while you still know it all!!" ...

Thanks, Hermit!

Benjamin Franklin said...

"Life's Tragedy is that we get old to soon and wise too late."

"The doors of wisdom are never shut."

"Experience keeps a dear school, but fools will learn in no other."

"For having lived long, I have experienced many instances of being obliged, by better information or fuller consideration, to change opinions, even on important subjects, which I once thought right but found to be otherwise."


Thank you for stopping in at our blog and leaving a comment. We have you added to our blogroll

HermitJim said...

Hey Ben...
Thanks for stopping in, and for adding me to your blogroll!

I appreciate it!