Before We Learn to Live

An ancient philosopher offered this interesting observation: “If we could be twice young and twice old, we could correct all our mistakes.” There is no real assurance that this is so. Because too many of us repeat our own errors, even when we know better. But sometimes we well may wonder why we have to live so long before we learn to live. There are many mistakes and misunderstandings: mistakes of judgment, bad beginnings, false steps, lost time, unpromising pursuits. There are strained relationships between people who should keep close to one another, between people who have every natural reason to keep close, but who different and drifted apart. There are errors of understanding, quarrels, prejudices, unwise actions, and unwise utterances. And then sometime, somewhere along the way we learn somehow to misjudge less, to understand more, to be more charitable, to live with less friction, with less resentment, with less disposition to condemn. Somewhere, sometime, somehow along the way we are likely to acquire more patience and understanding in our hearts. But still some things we wish we had learned sooner in stead of later in life. Of course, some do learn them sooner. Some seem to mellow and to mature in judgment and wisdom and understanding earlier than others. But many of us live a long time before seem to learn some of the fairly simple things that could have made life easier and finer for us and for others also. But to live—and to learn—this, no doubt, is one of lives principle purposes. We can’t go back—not any of us, not at any time. But with an immortal future before us, we can go forward with the assurance that nothing we really learned is ever lost. “If we could be twice young and twice old” could we correct all our mistakes? It isn’t likely. And anyway that isn’t the way a loving Father has let us live. But we can face the future with assurance that somewhere along the everlasting journey we shall know that the groping, the reaching, the wondering, the trying and failing, and trying again, honestly and earnestly, will prove to be worth more than all the effort—and the future will justify our faith.