Yesterday I turned 63. As far as birthdays go, it was pretty good: a bottle of Japanese whisky from my son, a nice pair of leather shoes from my wife, and well-wishes from friends. Today at the dinner table my son asked, in that smart-alecky 21-year-old way designed to get a reaction, "So Dad what wisdom have you learned now you're 63? In the absence of a witty riposte, I let it slide. But later, while out for an evening walk, I thought I could have said something along the lines of 'in my twenties I thought I knew it all, but in my sixties I find I knew less than ever'. Maybe this is why I have recently returned to Stoic practices, something I have read about in the past.
Well the Stoics loved Socrates, and he was famously known for knowing how much he didn't know. Happy Birthday for yesterday—always good to get another trip around the sun.
SB
Yesterday I turned 63. As far as birthdays go, it was pretty good: a bottle of Japanese whisky from my son, a nice pair of leather shoes from my wife, and well-wishes from friends. Today at the dinner table my son asked, in that smart-alecky 21-year-old way designed to get a reaction, "So Dad what wisdom have you learned now you're 63? In the absence of a witty riposte, I let it slide. But later, while out for an evening walk, I thought I could have said something along the lines of 'in my twenties I thought I knew it all, but in my sixties I find I knew less than ever'. Maybe this is why I have recently returned to Stoic practices, something I have read about in the past.
RG
Well the Stoics loved Socrates, and he was famously known for knowing how much he didn't know. Happy Birthday for yesterday—always good to get another trip around the sun.