Wise Words

Through the Eyes of the Elders: A Timeline of Life’s Truths

Let me tell you something about life, the kind of something that ain’t in no textbook or TED talk. This is wisdom, raw and unpolished, passed down from voices cracked with age, eyes softened by tears, and hands weathered by work. The elders have lived the timeline we’re all walking, and their stories—our stories—deserve to be held up to the light. Listen close.

The First Chapter: Dreams in Bloom

When you’re young, life feels infinite. Every dream is vivid, every possibility within reach. Your friends are your world, laughter is currency, and the weight of responsibility feels like a lifetime away. You think you’ve got time. Time to love, time to hustle, time to figure it all out.

But what they don’t tell you is that time is slick. It moves quiet, like a thief in the night. One day you’re scribbling dreams in notebooks; the next, you’re chasing bills, watching the clock, wondering how you went from dreaming to surviving.

And money? Oh, it whispers lies to you. “You’ll have enough if you work hard enough,” it says. But the elders will tell you the truth: money don’t make life easier; it just changes the problems. 

The Middle Chapter: Building and Breaking

Then comes the chapter where you build—or try to. Careers, families, friendships, homes. You hustle hard, thinking it’ll all pay off. You learn real quick that life don’t play fair. Friends you thought would ride for you disappear when times get rough. Family ties stretch and sometimes snap under the weight of expectations and misunderstandings.

Love? Oh, love is beautiful, but it’s not simple. Your spouse ain’t just your partner; they’re your mirror. They show you your flaws and push you to grow—or break. Elder love comes with scars and lessons: it’s not about the big romantic gestures; it’s about showing up every day, even when it’s hard.

And the government? Let’s talk about that. It’s a system that promises to protect but often feels like it’s weighing you down, especially if you’re Black in America. Elders have lived through wars, recessions, civil rights movements, and societal shifts that changed the world—but left scars on the soul. They’ll tell you to vote, to fight, to keep pushing, but they’ll also warn you: the system wasn’t built for us.

The Later Chapter: The Reckoning

When you hit your later years, the weight of life becomes crystal clear. The friends you laughed with in your youth? Some are gone. Some drifted. The family you sacrificed for? They’ve grown, busy with lives of their own.

And the regrets—they sneak up on you. The things you didn’t say, the dreams you let die, the people you didn’t fight for. Elders will tell you to cherish the moments now because someday, the little things—holding your grandchild’s hand, a Sunday dinner with your family, a quiet sunrise—become the big things.

But there’s peace, too. A wisdom that comes from knowing the truth about life: it’s messy, it’s hard, and it’s beautiful. The elders see the patterns, the cycles. They’ve seen how technology transforms the world but never changes the heart of human nature. They know society will keep evolving, but the basics—love, respect, kindness—will always matter.

The Final Chapter: Legacy

When life starts winding down, it ain’t about the money you made or the titles you held. It’s about the lives you touched, the wisdom you passed on, the love you gave. Elders don’t care about trending topics or the latest gadgets. They care about whether they made the world just a little better.

And here’s the thing: they’re not afraid to leave. They know it’s coming. But what they fear is being forgotten. So they tell their stories—sometimes with tears, sometimes with laughter, always with a sense of urgency. They want you to get itbefore it’s too late.

The Lesson

So what does it all mean? The elders would tell you this:

 • Love hard. Even when it hurts. Especially when it hurts.

 • Save your money, but don’t let it rule you. Life’s wealth is in moments, not dollars.

 • Forgive. Carrying grudges will only weigh you down.

 • Speak up, even when your voice shakes. Silence never changed the world.

 • Be present. The future ain’t promised, and the past can’t be undone.

Life is a timeline of joy and pain, growth and loss, beginnings and endings. It’s a gift and a test, a song and a battle. And if you’re lucky enough to sit at the feet of an elder and hear their story, hold that moment tight. They’ve walked the road you’re just starting.

Now, go write your own story. And make sure it’s one worth telling when your hair turns silver, and your hands grow tired. That’s the wisdom of the elders. Don’t waste it.

Written with the love, pain, and pride of those who came before me, and for those who come after.