What I Didn’t Learn In Kindergarten

Best-selling books in the past explained how basic life lessons were often found in preschool: Importance of sharing;playing well with others; listening. With all due respect, here’s what I didn’t learn in kindergarten but wish I had:
* The world is not run by 20-somethings as we boomers like to point out. It’s run by ten-year-old smarties who understand more than most older adults about evolving technology. Try winning a video game with these miniature techies. While they are scoring big points, we are still flipping the unit and mumbling “now HOW do you turn this thing on?” What I didn’t learn in kindergarten is that when I neared the age of rapid diminishing return, ten-year-olds would rule.
* Did you see actress Helen Mirren at age 63 in a bikini? She looks GREAT! Give me a break. Not only has she never had kids, but she has a gazillion dollars to pay someone to sweat in her place. What I didn’t learn in kindergarten is that little boys grow up to be…big boys. And little girls grow up still wondering, even in their golden years, if they can ever stop comparing themselves to other women. And the answer is – NOT.
* Men & Relationships: I didn’t learn squat in kindergarten. Ditto 50 years later.
* During infrequent good behavior I exercise and eat right. My doctor continues to tell me I will die of something sooner or later. He’s still working on that bedside manner thingy. What I didn’t learn in kindergarten is that throughout the journey, life remains full of surprises and all we can do is work hard, play hard, and try to figure out what makes the best, most successful path for us. So forget the destination and enjoy your own customized journey. Or just ask a ten-year-old for advice.