We love to tell stories about old bulls and young studs that perpetuate our denial about the facts of life. For those uninitiated, the story of the two bulls goes something like this:
Once upon a time, there were two bulls; one old and one young, standing atop a hill looking down at a herd of cattle in the valley below. The young bull says to the old, ” I bet we could run down there and we could grab one of those heifers!”
The older bull simply replied, “Why don’t we walk down and get them all.”
This is a classic story about the virtues of patience and wisdom and the folly of impulsiveness and naivety. It has always been a double dose of morality, reminding us to cultivate wisdom and patience and to respect the elderly who often embody these virtues. This has been a go to story of my father during my childhood. Yet I’ve noticed a shift in the narrative. Many stories like these have been twisted and watered down as they are re-told, replacing the word, experience with age and emphasizing the authority of the elderly without merit. This subtle little tweak reveals major implications about our society, specifically, how lazy and fearful of death we have become.
By sucking out the virtues and morals,these stories serve memento morti in denial. The focus on establishing the authority of age, without virtuous merit in an attempt to dominate youth, reflects a fear of the natural fact that we will all one day be worm food. Contrary to popular belief, wisdom is not guaranteed nor synonymous with age. It is possible to be both old, naive, inexperienced or even stupid. Although, if you manage to be both old and stupid, you’ve certainly survived the odds and that is an accomplishment on to itself. The fear of death is so strong that it outweighs our sense of responsibility, virtue and legacy to younger generations.
As we grow older, we find stories like that of The Two Bulls, comforting, and we should, especially if we have taken the time to cultivate such virtues. As much as we all relish the ideas of a cosmic scale of seniority and balance, inherent wisdom as our rings and wrinkles grow, the truth is that there will always be a younger, braver, bolder, smarter upstart following our trail. I see it in every 10 year old computer programmer and fifth grade spelling be champion; the obnoxious reminders of our own fading born on dates, stamped in our psyche. The images that echo a sentiment of our parents: one day, we too, will feel obsolete. And when we may take solace in our ability to recognize and laugh at the mistakes of youth and naivety. We can waste away drying up in bitterness at the notion of being replaced by younger stock or find inspiration to live like fools and take risks in the name of play at every twist and turn.
To everyone older than the 5th grade boy and girl wonders, FEAR NOT! There will always be somebody on some tropical island, with far more wrinkles than you, a better body, a better tan, sporting Ray-Bans while windsurfing (and cutting young people off at a jaw dropping speed of 5 miles per hour), reminding you of the fun you could be having and a life to look forward to. It is better to be jealous of those older adventurers who are still drawing out the very marrow of life; the tall leafy bunch, still blooming ahead, than to be bitter with those sprouting behind you. Those ahead, at least provide you with the opportunity to do the same and challenge you to do more.
To everyone older than me, please go out, invest in some Ray Bans, tanning oil, a gym membership and some wind-surfing lessons and then lead and live by example for the rest of us. Send me photos. And, in your most dispassionate and apathetic moments, don’t hesitate to spend some time with youngsters strung-out on life and sugar. You’ll reconnect with fun and stupidity, and guilt yourself into doing more. Obnoxious reminders of mortality are blessings in disguise. One generation does not make the other insignificant, each merely provides a little contrast and depth to life.Young upstarts will never know the world as you did and will work for an education/access to your tanning oil, gym and wind surfing gear.
See. I bet you thought this was going somewhere else entirely. Young is a state of mind and constant state of play. Now please lend me your glasses and wind surfing gear or put a dollar in the jar:P
