I WOULD like to share this with all my friends, this advice I just picked up somewhere. If there’s anything you should stop wearing after the age of forty, it’s the weight of other people’s opinions. ‘Nuff said.
I’d have to say first thing, I already have a thirty-one year headstart so, you might say, there’s already lot of miles under the wheels on that one. When one thinks about it, despite all you heard in the form of opinion and advice, in the end it will always be yourself who will make the final call. I consider it most unfortunate because in many life aspects, you’re not the one doing that for you.
If one were to transpose this in the context of sports, the strategies and tactics coming from mentors and coaches will amount close to nothing really, because it will only be you alone on that arena. At least, that was how I played it in the younger days; one-two-three following a game plan agreed on, and then, tweak a little bit and say to yourself, why don’t I try another way? If that doesn’t work, what is a game plan but something to fall back on in the first place?
I’m reminded of another bit of note I read, the one about a famous marshmallow test on two-year olds. Left intentionally alone in a room for a few minutes, with specific instructions not to eat a plate of marshmallows before them, personality experts have found that those who break the rule develop more distinct individualistic behaviors than the rest of that lot when they are older.
However, one does not have to take everything to be true. Just remember you do not have to feel the weight of other people’s opinions on whatever you do.
Likewise, when my youngest son was about four, he had gotten to be such a talkative boy. My father once challenged him to keep quiet for five minutes in order to win five pesos. Everyone in the room with us had been silent for a good three minutes, watching his face contort and almost morph into a confused state.
At the 3.2-minute mark, however, he broke the silence to ask, what is five pesos? Same as what Stan Lee likes to say: Nuff said. Any opinion (or a five-peso reward) can only go so far.
What’s it to be then? Not trying to promote a rebellious or, in today’s term, a gangsta’ attitude. I just have to share, though, I have noticed that majority of the older generations would not eat the marshmallows on that plate, being generally weaned and herded into submission. Only a few strays recorded. Yet, those few have influenced and led the herd somewhat. A trait common among them, one friend insists, is something quite rare in the new gen, and controversial as this may appear, critical thinking.
Three thoughts come to mind: convince me if otherwise, Nuff said and last, that’s only opinion.
