There goes a quotation by Abigail Van Buren, “Wisdom does not automatically come with old age. Nothing does except wrinkles. It is true that some wines improve with age. But only if the grapes were good in the first place.” It is obvious that not all old people are wise.

Donald Trump and Vladimir Putin are outstanding examples. Some old people, like people of any age, are simply foolish, inconsiderate, self-absorbed, or even outright malicious or cruel. When I was younger, I often heard the phrase, “Just wait until you get older and wiser.” At the time, I did not give it much thought.

Now, a lot older, I understand the truth behind those words. With age has come not just experience, but a deeper appreciation of what truly matters and a realisation that wisdom often lies in shifting our perspective. Take this, for example: when I was younger, I cherished an autograph from Benazir Bhutto. It felt like one of the most valuable things I owned. Yet today, I look at that memory differently. Benazir Bhutto was a great politician and leader, no doubt, but she did not play with me after school. She did not help me with my homework or read to me before bed.

She did not guide me through life’s tough moments, encourage my dreams or believe in me when I did not believe in myself. Now, I see that the real heroes in my life have been the people who showed up consistently, quietly shaping me as a person; my parents, my siblings, my close friends, special colleagues and yes, my teachers. Wise individuals are not born with wisdom. Their wisdom is acquired over time and often with difficulty. They have a broad perspective.

That is, they do not focus on what is trivial or superficial; nor do they confine themselves to just one aspect of human thought or activity. The concept of wisdom evolves with age, influenced by an individual’s accumulated experiences, changes in the perception of time, and the development of values such as empathy and resilience through different life stages. Emotional........

© Daily Times