“Coffee social is the best conversation of my week.”  Seriously, several people have told me this. And I feel the same way.  Yesterday was no exception…

What’s the best way to use your brain at 20?  How about 60?  As we age we gain wisdom, but in a world of rapidly advancing technology we also need to keep current.  So say you are a 50 year old software developer.  Should you study that new programming language?  Will the experienced brain be taught more or less quickly than the youthful brain?  “When I stop learning I start dying” was a mantra shared by one coffee guest.

Today our culture worships the young phenom, not the old master.  Ageism is alive and well in most corporate settings.  Perhaps it is not the technical knowledge we should exploit as we get older, but the relationships, connections, and depth of understanding that only experience can create.  This is especially important as we see traditional ‘retirement’ slip out of reach for most of us.

And do we really want to ‘retire’?  If you love your work and love to learn there really is no need to quit as long as you are able.  We’re guessing that this whole concept of retiring at age 65 and playing golf for the rest of your life didn’t exist for most of human history.  Perhaps it was the carrot on the end of a stick invented by companies hoping to motivate you to give up your life to them for 40 years of dismal work.

If we redefine ‘work’ in the Montessori way then all of life can be ‘work’ and we can enjoy it the whole way through.  That’s my plan. How about you?

Written by Natasha Juliana. Curious about Coffee Social?  Join us Tuesdays at 10 AM.