Wisdom from My 92-Year-Old Grandpa: Life Lessons to Cherish
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Chapter 1: Timeless Lessons from Grandpa
My grandfather was an extraordinary individual, despite appearing quite ordinary at first glance. He never attended university but raised eight children, enjoyed a long and fulfilling marriage, and was well-known at his bank, where employees greeted him warmly and invited him for coffee. Not bad for someone who hailed from a small Spanish village in 1927.
All his knowledge stemmed from the hardships of rural life, growing up during a tumultuous civil war and enduring 40 years of dictatorship, where hunger and suffering were rampant. Nevertheless, he thrived, largely due to one vital lesson that has stuck with me throughout my life.
Grandpa's Golden Wisdom “Others will try to impose their problems on you, and they may even claim your achievements as their own. If you're astute, leverage this to your advantage.” — My grandfather :-)
Navigating life without being affected by others' issues is like attempting to bathe without getting wet; it's simply impossible.
Choosing What to Embrace and What to Let Go When your son urgently needs money because his girlfriend is about to give birth and can't afford the apartment entrance fee, you either shoulder that burden or face the consequences of sharing a bathroom with your daughter-in-law (a real-life scenario from my grandfather's experiences). Conversely, if a friend asks for money after vacationing in Cancun because he can't cover his rent, that problem shouldn't be yours.
When your boss expects total commitment to the company as if you were to inherit it, that’s a situation where you should engage, because, as Marcus Aurelius wisely noted, “what benefits the hive also benefits the bee.” However, if a friend (the Cancun traveler) requests your help to launch his new digital product in your spare time, it's best to silence that contact and not take on that responsibility.
As my grandfather put it, “Make wise choices, and you will find joy. Make poor choices, and you will lament like a pig heading to slaughter.” Yet many seem to do the opposite: they neglect family needs while catering to so-called friends, and they commit to the company only when it suits their personal agenda.
Lesson: Be discerning about whom to assist, and your life will improve so rapidly it may feel surreal.
The Other Side of Life “In life, you receive compensation in two forms: money or kind words. Opt for money; words won't feed your family.” — My grandfather.
I recall a day when he took me to a bull farm and asked me to read a sign bearing a marquis's name. Afterward, he advised, “Don’t aspire to be the name on the business sign; instead, strive to be the anonymous person running it.”
He emphasized that true significance lies not in fame but in excelling at what you do. Starting as a day laborer mowing the Marquis’ fields at just ten years old, he worked diligently over the years to become the farm manager, which allowed him to provide well for his eight children.
That day, I grasped two important truths: 1. Behind every remarkable individual is a strong team. 2. If you establish yourself as indispensable, even those whose names are on the signs must heed your decisions (as my grandfather experienced with the Marquis).
This principle extends to personal relationships as well. As my grandfather advised, “Let your friends receive credit for your accomplishments; this will eliminate envy and encourage them to recognize your contributions, as they will need you to keep shining. Ultimately, the truth, like good wood, always surfaces.”
A virtual hug, AG
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Alberto García - Medium
Chapter 2: Life Lessons from My Grandfather
Discover profound insights in the video "80 Life Lessons My Grandfather Told Me I Could Never Forget (83-Year-Old) - YouTube."
Explore the secrets of health and longevity in "Secrets to Health and Longevity from a 92 Year Old Farmer: A Chat with my Grandfather."