If you’re a super curious person, like myself, you will have spent your life searching for information, learning as much as you can.
I’ve always been drawn to listening to people’s stories, who have lived here on earth for a very long time. From sitting and chatting with my Grandparents, when I was young, to listening to the amazing stories of my parent’s upbringing on the little tropical island, in the middle of the Indian Ocean, called Mauritius.
My Dad didn’t grow up with much, in terms of material possessions, and he left school midway through high school, to go out to work, and make money for his family. This was the way it was for him at a young age, and he shared a bedroom with his younger brother and his Auntie for all his young life, into adulthood.
My mum’s parent’s valued academic achievements, and so, my mum, spent all her afternoons after school, studying, until dinner time, and then studying again, after dinner, most nights. My maternal Grandad (whom we call Grandpere) was the Assistant Tax Commissioner in Mauritius, at the time, and had travelled to England on work junkets with my Grandma (whom we call Grandmere), when my mum was very young, leaving, my mum back home, in Mauritius, with her maternal Grandparents to take care of her – My Grandma had 15 siblings – Can you believe this? My grandma has since passed away, however, she still has 2 sisters, who now live here in Australia and her baby brother, who still lives in Mauritius, and are doing well.
Both my parents share a common interest in sport, and both were amazing athletes. Dad, a talented soccer player and volleyballer in his younger years, and today, he excels in golf. My mum, has been trying to get rid of all our sporting trophies, of which there are many, collected over the years, but, she’s fighting a losing battle, with Dad bringing home golf trophies, ever year. My mum, who was selected as school captain for her school, by the nuns who taught her, opted to be sports captain instead, as she loved sport so much, and was a talented volleyballer herself.
A story shared, carries on a person’s legacy, well beyond their time here on earth, and I feel, this is a very important factor in keeping a loved ones memories alive.
These stories, always have nuggets of wisdom, sprinkled throughout and I hold these wisdom nuggets close to my heart, because, it connects me to these people who I love deeply, forever.
Wisdom, comes from lived experience. From all the adventures we go on, to the mistakes we make, to the meaningful connections we make with others, to the most intimate relationships we form, throughout our lives. We learn through living a full and active life.
This is the beauty in ageing – What a gift, to be able to get older, and wiser over time.
All these experiences, for me personally, as I get older, help me to learn more & more about myself, if I remain open to learning, in each moment. When I am open to learning, my wisdom well begins to fill up, and as I continue to draw the life lessons, from my own personal life experiences over time, this well fills up to a point, where, I have the capacity, share my own personal stories, to others, in the hope that my own personal legacy lives on, in their hearts forever.
I am able to share my personal story, to give others a personal insight into my own life experience.
I do this, in the hope, that my story may help others.
I do this, so that someone else doesn’t have to suffer, in the way I’ve suffered at times, and may learn from the mistakes I have made in my own life.
I do this, to help others, but only, if they want help.
I do this, so that my children, will still hear my voice and can keep a little piece of me, for themselves, in their hearts, when I’m no longer, physically here on earth.
My life, like yours I suspect, has had some pretty amazing highs and some pretty devastating lows, that you’ve had to navigate.
Embrace your unique life story, lean in and listen to the elders, in your life, they will have something to teach you about life. Ageing is a gift, we’ve been given, there is so much beauty in the life, we are living today.
Please don’t take it for granted, EVER!