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tabbycat's avatar

What is the most important thing you have learned from someone much older than you who was not a relative?

Asked by tabbycat (1811points) August 18th, 2008
30 responses
“Great Question” (4points)
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Answers

Harp's avatar

Nevermind, I misread the question

bbonndesign's avatar

The most important things that i have learned is simple: Always be cautious of what you are saying and who you are saying it to. Your reputation is always at stake.

AtSeDaEsEpPoAoSnA's avatar

You are only as powerful as you want to be in mind and body, “Use no way as way, have no limitation as limitation”. My Kung Fu teacher(Sifu).

seVen's avatar

As a man thinks so is he.

redsgirl4eva's avatar

Live life to it’s fullest. You never no what may happen. ( Isn’t that the truth.)

robmandu's avatar

That I don’t want to live to the point of hopelessness and despair.

As I get older and my responsibilities decline, I intend to take up increasingly dangerous hobbies and sports. Better to burn out than fade away.

trumi's avatar

Getting old sucks – don’t do it.

Magnus's avatar

That there’s two ways to lie. One is the obvious; saying something that’s not true. The other is to leave out any input that you know would change something, an opinion, situation or whatever.

Judi's avatar

Never refuse a mint

robmandu's avatar

Oh… and that you cannot spend enough time with your kids. Drop everything every chance you get to hang out with ‘em.

La_chica_gomela's avatar

That is so true, trumi, my grandmama used to always say, “Getting old is not for the faint of heart”

Bri_L's avatar

There are some dark and selfish people out there, don’t work for them. He was the older person from whom I learned it.

buster's avatar

I learned this from an plumber. I have to plumb frequently so this knowledge comes in handy. Hot water on the left cold on the right and shit dont flow uphill. This means your hot water line always comes in on the left side and cold comes in on the right side. Be sure that when your hooking up your drainpipes it has some slope so it drains. Two most important things to know in plumbing.

tinyfaery's avatar

That you can still be cool, have parties, drive fast, and smoke a little dope occasionally. In this 72 year old man’s opinion, being old is the best time for living it up; the possibility of fucking up one’s entire life is no longer a consideration.

augustlan's avatar

To continue learning all your life, to have more fun as you get older. The 67 year old woman I’ve learned from drives a lime green VW Bug, and makes me laugh every time I talk to her. She’s who I want to be when I grow up.

From Gailcalled: Stay busy (doing only things you love), keep your mind sharp, and learn how to spell!

susanc's avatar

You can’t raise your own parents (“raise” meaning “teach how to grow up”).

Lightlyseared's avatar

Never judge a book by it’s cover.

and try not to get into conversations about sex with little old ladies, it never ends well

sands's avatar

Always treat others the way that you would want to be treated. That’s really important because you never know when your past behavior will come back to haunt you. I was watching Michael Phelps interview with his mother yesterday and he was talking about how as many as 7 years ago, he was approached by someone who used to treat him like garbage and then decided to play nice and friendly with him when he made the Olympic team. All of a sudden, Phelps was “cool” and this person wanted to know him. Phelps said that he pretended not to remember the person and he brushed him off. Why? Because he never forgets a face and can put a story to all the faces he knows. That really struck me for some reason and I know that I won’t forget it. I know that the jerk who used to treat him poorly won’t forget it either.

Bri_L's avatar

@ Sands – I saw that too. I felt like cheering for him all over again. I told my son right there to always, always treat every one with respect.

speechie4eva's avatar

I’m on my high school speech and debate team and my freshman English teacher talked me into doing it three years back. It was the best thing anyone hasndone for me because if she didnt get me into speech I probably never would have learned how to be a successful public speaker and I probably never would have learned how to believe in myself and my abilities. She changed me from the why girl I used to be into the confident girl I am now. Oh and it gave me some of the best memories of my life.

marinelife's avatar

I learned a lot about managing staffs from my first boss. He died recently and reflecting on it in order to write his family a letter showed me how much he had given me in that regard. The most important thing I learned was always stand up for your people even when it means things might get tough for you.

gr8drmrs's avatar

always give another person a smile. It does not take a great effort to be nice this was told to me by an 86 year old woman who I respected very much and taught me to be myself and live again. I miss her.

flameboi's avatar

When I was 16, a 40 something guy was driving a brand new porsche
Me: Oh my! How did you get it???
Guy: I just kept dreaming, everything is possible kid, everything…

Judi's avatar

flameboi;
That’s funny because my son was just visiting his Grandma and she actually let him take her Maserati to the mall. He drove around the mall a few times so people would see him driving it. After he left the mall He noticed a guy admiring the car when he walked up. My son has a bald head and a few tattoos so he was sure the guy was thinking, “how does a punk kid get to drive a car like that?” My son just looked at him and said, “Real Estate,” as he coolly sat in the drivers seat. I guess it can be fun to “practice” your dream.

flameboi's avatar

@Judi
Practice your dream, my friends and I looooove to do that! :)

augustlan's avatar

@Judi: Both the Grandma and your son sound like my kind of people!

Judi's avatar

Here’s my son: http://profile.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=user.viewprofile&friendid=116842017

Not the greatest recordings but we’re working on that. He is a singer/song writer.

augustlan's avatar

@Judi: Nice sound…best of luck to them :)

Judi's avatar

thanks :-)

tabbycat's avatar

I enjoyed looking at his website, too. All the best to him.

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