The Oldest Woman in the Room

I follow several wise women's blogs.  I learn about tablescapes, recipes, home decor, parenting, living, and life.  Recently one of the blogs I follow wrote a wise statement to her daughters and I would like to expound upon that here.

Dear Daughters,

When you are in a room with others, one of the most important things you could do for yourself is to find the oldest woman in the room.  You will gain more wisdom and learn more about life than in any publication or film you will ever view.  You will learn about child-rearing, marriage, home-making, education, etiquette, past, present, future, and dealing and interacting with people.  You will absorb what is important and latch on to it.  You will find out what is not really worth holding onto and how to let it go.  You will gain more from sitting beside that woman than you ever will from sharing ideas with your peers.  In any room, just look for the oldest woman there and take a seat as near to her as possible and start to absorb.

I love the way Laura laid this information out in such a poetic fashion in her blog, White Spray Paint: 

In a room -

any room

find the oldest woman there.

Take it all in,

soak it all up,

and listen to her every word.

The oldest woman in the room

has certainly lived longer than the youngest,

but its not just about that.

If we limit ourselves to just listening to our chronological peers,

we limit ourselves to an exchange of like-minded,

same-aged ideas.

There are so many wonderful

age-worn ideas.

Find the oldest woman in the room

and take a seat.

Be her listener; be a learner; be her.