It’s not only wine that improves with age!!

It is agreed by most, that wine improves with age. Each year a particular vintage is kept in a cellar the better it will be once it’s finally opened. With my new job being in the alcohol industry, I must say, I’ve learnt alot about wine. Each vintage having it’s own distinct features and how the overall quality of the wine is influenced by the particular environmental factors during that year.

It could be said, people, to some extent, are like wine. They develop more with age. There’s no other way to say it – elderly people are tops!! Or, in the words of a Twitter friend “Elderly people are a must to have around, they keep it all real”. That is so true.  I couldn’t have said it any better myself, and, that is what got me thinking...and from my thinking, came this!! So, thanks for the inspiration lovely!!

My Grandparents for instance, my Gran, well, she is one of the strongest, amazing and honest people I have ever met.  She is my rock. She has joined me in celebrating my achievements, still being proud when I didn’t exactly achieve what I had hoped and has supported me through hard times.  We spend days together regularly and both enjoy each others company; even if it’s just sitting at her dining room table drinking coffee, eating buscuits and discussing life. Nothing extravagant but still no better way to spend time. During the time we spend together, there is only one thing (or, to be more precise, one person) missing...my Grandad!  Before he died nearly 3 years ago,he was such an intergral part of my life too.  He would fix my toys (and later in my teen life, my shoes) and he’d always have an idea to solve any problem.  Not only that though, he also shared the same support, advice and interest in every part of my life that my Gran does.

Not only Grandparents though, I was talking to an elderly Gentleman on the train the other week, just chatting to pass the time really. He was on his way home from meeting his friends from the Army for lunch, and I was coming home from work. We got talking about the work he does in advocating for retired soldiers (and also the families of those soldiers who don’t return home). Such an amazing man doing good for a cause he believes in. Some would say he does it because he is a returned Soldier himself – but, I say he does it because it’s close to his heart and something he believes strongly in. And I say well done to him!! He has all my support!!

Granted, younger people do brilliant work with charities and things too, but, elderly people just seem to have something else.  They have some sort of outlook on life that is vastly different to the younger generations. Elderly people are much less likely to generalise and segregate different people (well, most elderly people anyway. There are some who are exceptions I’m sure!). It’s this acceptance and willingness to talk to anyone that makes them such an asset to society. 

We learn many lessons though life, and, I reckon, if we all spent more time with elderly people we’d learn so, so much more!! I know personally, my Grandparents have taught me so much more than I was taught at School and Uni combined.  Life lessons can’t be taught based on a theory some guy came up with and published in some journal. Life lessons come from experience and wisdom. Afterall, “with age comes wisdom”...and so, who better to teach these life lessons than the elderly?!?!