With a lot of discussion around intelligence lately, I find myself thinking a lot more about wisdom. Age doesn’t necessarily beget wisdom, but I do think that experience can. I am always impressed by those who are able to reflect and grow wise from the varied joys and traumas that shape each one of us.
This video struck a chord for me. Contrasting the Bay Area hustle culture to the things that make life worth living:
San Francisco has always a destination for those seeking their fortunes. The frenetic enthusiasm radiates through seemingly everything there.
I also really enjoyed the energy of San Francisco when I first moved there. I had nothing else but work.
The trade-off for my relentless focus on my career was a tremendous level up in a short amount of time. I wouldn’t be where I am today without a few years of judicious networking and workaholism.
San Francisco was “Lord of the Flies” when I described it to friends from elsewhere. Awash in adult boys, untethered from the real world. I would hang out with men 10 years older then me who were doing the same dumb shit I was, except I was in my early twenties, a commonly accepted time to be foolish.
I did not want to end up like them and increasingly put both physical and mental distance between the them and myself.
There is more to life than panning for gold.
Today I was talking with an elder almost twice as old as me, who casually offered:
I still get up at 5am; at this age there are only so many sunrises left to see.
I’m going to try to not stay up too late dwelling on the comment, lest I miss tomorrow’s sunrise.