The young man knows the rules, but the old man knows the exceptions. Oliver Wendell Holmes
I love the idea of the flexibility that is behind this quote. Every rule has its exception.
I know someone whose life was ordered by seeing things as either right or wrong, black or white, no shades of grey. For her, I think to believe or live the exceptions would have felt too unsafe. How else to order the world? At the same time she was very kind and compassionate. In a sense she was a product of her times and her upbringing.
I, on the other hand, can be too knowledgeable about the shades of grey to clearly make a strong leap to the side of the rules, rebel of the heart that I am.
Somewhere there is balance.
And in that balance, somewhere, there is the knowledge that every rule has its exception.
Which side of the dicotomy do you fall in?
Karin
Originally posted 2007-04-22 09:46:13.
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A thought provoking post. Thanks!
I think I have always felt the passion of a young person (the fiery temperament to defend one’s views) with the old person’s analysis of the grey areas existent in almost any complicated matter (and most matters are that).
I don’t consider myself sage far from it, but I believe there are nuances and shades that are not to be missed in most matters. After all each case is a seperate case and the world cannot be classified in patterns, no matter how easier our life would be that way….
I see that in you, Helg, you are a deep thinker. I always enjoy what you write.