At what age do we stop learning?

Sometimes we hear people say: “I’m too old to learn.” Interestingly, these people truly believe that they are indeed too old to learn new things, skills, or concepts.

Here is what I have discovered as I interact with a variety of people. About ten years ago, a young woman was sitting quietly in her office awaiting a very special e-mail message from her grandfather. Suddenly, she burst out laughing. Of course this caught our attention. We asked her to share the humour with us. She told us she had received a joke message from her grandfather. She explained that her 92 year-old grandfather had recently learned to access the internet and learned how to search for clean humour. Every day he diligently searched, then copied and pasted the statements into an e-mail message and send to her because he felt she should begin her day with laughter. How old was this father? Ninety-two years old! He was still learning, sharing and making a positive difference in someone’s life!

Here’s another situation. During a University Graduation ceremony some years ago, the attendees were asked to stand to give an Ovation to the oldest student who was receiving her degree. The lady was 80 (eighty) years old. When asked why she elected to pursue studies at her age, she explained that she had always desired to graduate with a University degree but needed to support her children first. They had since graduated and were financially independent so she was now in a position to embrace her opportunity to learn, grow and share. As in the case of the ninety-two year old man, this lady has certainly impressed us all.

The most recent situation to be experienced is found at New Life Covenant Centre. The students, who are learning basic computer skills, are mainly senior citizens. Some of them will soon be celebrating their eightieth (80^th) birthday. They are eager, embrace new technology, demonstrate dedication, commitment, and look forward to the beginning of each new session.

I believe that we can safely conclude, from these three examples, that we have discovered the answer to the question: ‘At what age do we stop learning?’ You may now be inspired try learning something new regardless of your age – youth or senior.