Talk Less, Learn More

Yesterday, my daughter Asherel and I taught nursing home residents how to draw an elephant. This time, we had a really big group, including many returning participants. We run an art class once a month at the nursing home. One lady told me, "Remember how last month we drew a penguin? Well, my granddaughter came to visit, and I showed her my drawing. I asked her what it was, and she told me 'a penguin of course!' So I gave it to her. She was thrilled."

I detected pride in the sweet lady's voice. She had made something in the winter of her life that had impressed her granddaughter. I noticed she was very careful with her elephant drawing, and when portions of it did not look just right, she asked me how to make it better. In fact, many of the residents asked for help in making the drawing closer to what they knew it should look like. Only one this time told me, "I can't draw." All of them seemed to believe that they indeed *could* draw. I cannot tell you how gratifying it was to have 80-90 year olds improving in a skill that none of them thought they could possibly do a few months ago.

Learn new things. It is so important at every age. We had a rousing discussion about whether our elephant was an african or asian elephant. I remembered the ears are very different in each, but couldn't recall who had the bigger ears. I looked it up on my iPhone, and the residents were excited to learn they were drawing an African elephant.(Big ears)

I have taught children art for decades. I noticed some stark differences between teaching the very young, and teaching the very old. Old people talk less and listen more. Old people are not defensive when their drawing is corrected. They welcome the suggestions! Old people do not take themselves so seriously, and laugh more when the drawing doesn't take shape as they wish. Old people want very much to learn, but are not as upset if they don't. They are content, as one person there said, "To just observe. I like to observe."

All in all, I have to say, I am at a stage in life when I prefer teaching old people. Their attitude is so refreshing. Their wisdom and acceptance of who they are is uplifting. Even the Bible recognizes that wise people talk less and learn more. God showed me an important lesson in my art class at the nursing home.

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Wise people are quiet and learn new things, but fools talk and bring trouble on themselves. (Proverbs 10:14 ERV)


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