Sometimes we hear people say: “I’m too old to learn.” Interestingly, these people truly believe that they are indeed too old to learn new things, concepts, or acquire new skills.  Here is what I have discovered as I interact with a variety of people….

A few years ago, a young woman was sitting quietly in her office awaiting a very special e-mail message from her grandfather. Several of her colleagues arrived in her vicinity.  Suddenly, she burst out laughing. Of course, this caught our attention. We asked her to share the humour with us.  She told us she had received a joke message from her grandfather. She explained that her 92 year-old grandfather had recently learned to access the internet and had learned how to search for clean humour. Every day he diligently searched, then copied, and pasted, the statements into an e-mail message.  He then sent the messages to her because he felt she should begin her day with laughter.

How old was this father? Ninety-two years old! He was still learning, sharing, and making a positive impact on someone’s life!

Here’s another situation. During a University Graduation ceremony some years ago, the attendees were asked to stand to give an Ovation to the oldest student who was receiving her degree. The lady was 80 (eighty) years old. When asked why she elected to pursue studies at her age, she explained that she had always desired to graduate with a University degree but needed to support her children first. They had since graduated, and were financially independent, so she was now in a position to embrace her opportunity to learn, grow, and share. As in the case of the ninety-two year old man, this lady has certainly impressed us all.

The most recent situation to be experienced is found in a learning program at a Church (New Life Covenant Centre, Ontario, Canada). There learners were engaged in acquiring Basic Computer skills. They were mainly senior citizens. They were eager, embracing new technology, demonstrating dedication, commitment, and looking forward to the beginning of each new session.

I believe we can safely conclude, from these three examples, that we have discovered the answer to the question: ‘At what age do we stop learning?’  You may now be inspired to try learning something new – regardless of your age… Youth or Senior!

The message to us…Stay positive! Continue learning! Continue growing!

Question: What did you find most interesting in this post?   Your comments are welcome.

 Author: Mona Walrond

Mona’s Marketing & Consulting