Not Too Old To Learn

There is a saying that ‘no one is too old to learn’, and this is accepted across the world. We should each remember this and cultivate our mind with the intention to learn what is beneficial to our life and society. A lot of things are awaiting our discovery and for us to learn about, especially matters arising in our own life, which gives each of us ample material for learning or study. Learning is endless and depends on neither time nor place. There is a good Chinese story about this which I would like to share with you. Here is the story:

There once lived a king who told his advisor that now that he was old it was very much more difficult to learn new things. His life, he said, was comparable to the late night, where there was no light. His advisor said, “No sir, you can learn a lot, or enlighten your life with wisdom. One is never too old to learn and develop in life. When the night is dark, you have to light a candle to chase away the darkness”. The king said, “What you say is reasonable: lighting a light of wisdom”. The adviser explained further: “Yes, sir. If a man learns in early life, his life is like a dawn which is going to grow increasingly brighter. If he learns in middle age, his life is like the bright sunshine at noon. If he learns in late life, his life is like the afternoon sunshine. If he learns near the end of his life, his life is like a candle lit to guide his life in the darkness”. The king was satisfied with the explanation.

How about you? When would you like to begin to learn, in your lifetime? It is certain that if you learn, you too can have the light of wisdom to guide your life. Your life is not in darkness. Learning is endless. One is never too old to learn.