Life Experience

While in Baja Cali, I met a man that, in a weird way, reminded me of me. The only thing is that this man was well past his 50’s. Humbly speaking, there was nothing that physically resembled the fine specimen known as Payazaro. The man had a well evolved gut that only a long marriage and life-long experience can bring. If every pound gained brought with it the wisdom this man possessed, I would welcome the belly and then some.

What struck me about this man was his heart, soul and personality. He is one of those people you just want to listen to over a beer (…or two…or three). Maybe it was the questions I asked that guided the course of the conversation. You just can’t let an old man talk away and ramble about random things, that’s why you should always have a beer, Jumex, or whatever beverage you prefer in one hand in case you feel a yawn coming and want to conceal it with a nice big swig. Fortunately for me, that wasn’t necessary. We had a common interest for Latin America, business, and just plain and simple critical thinking. You can tell when it comes natural for someone to think critically, and not necessarily intellectually, without getting a brain aneurysm. To infuse that kind of conversation with humor only made it better. Which leads me to the point of this blog post…

There is only so much you can learn by reading, studying, and observing. The great value of life experience can, and often times will, trump the arrogance of a formal education. When you have both it makes it a killer combination. Having both types of experiences allows you to speak your mind, be blunt and provide a perspective that is not only well-informed, but based on truths that go beyond hypothetical theories found in books. When I was in school, the professors used to always tell me, “…back up your argument with literary text.” How about I back up my argument(s) with life experience?! That is a fundamental truth that has led me to connect to the core of people. The fun part is that this is a never ending process that when shared with others can spark the same interest to strive to live and experience.