When I think about the priceless teachings learned from the source of experience, when I think about those essential trial and error processes that I’ve gone through, when I watch proud and pleased the winding road I’ve dragged myself on… it occurs that some innocent creature 10 years younger than me shows up and lectures me exactly on the same conclusions that I painfully gained, probably after having read them casually in some book. At those moments, I don’t allow the murderer instinct to take control over me, no. I think about those slowly gathered teachings from experience, and I let that carefree teenager go. Go little scholar, go, take your own path and leave me alone, we shall see what happens 10 years from now!
Yes, I have to admit it, the fact that knowledge can be reached in a safe and cozy way sometimes boils my blood. But I guess it is just that I’m skipping a couple of elements that I should think of. First of all, I’ve also learnt from reading, I’ve nourished myself with a lot of stories, other people’s sufferings and achievements, true failures, epic struggles, genuine experiences selflessly divulged... and I’ve done it while lying on my bed with a plate of cookies and a direct light. Honestly, who wants to have the life of William Burroughs? but taking a peek at his thoughts while covered by a thick flower quilt feels so nice...
Second of all, that nerdy teenageer, just like everyone else, has her own default wisdom. I even have mine, so why not. Some other rough experiences are awaiting for her to be lived; God wanted life to be a school after all. So she may get certain truths as easily as I may get others, but teachings from experience will be also there, in different ways, out of the books, for both of us.
