I recently had a big and “highly emotional” debate with a father’s friend. It was about our outlook in life. Mine was an optimistic one while his was what he called a “realistic” (Although I prefer to call it a negative) one. He would always say that he has all the experience and that I am too young to understand some things.

I cherish and value experience. I value the elders who SOMETIMES are wise and for which advice I really cherish. What they say would help me improve myself and my life as a whole, without a doubt.
However, we should be aware of the advice which we receive from others. From my experience, at times the elders (including my parents) give terrible advice. They might say that they have the experience but mostly their experience is from their negative perspective.

Be very aware of such individuals. As much as I believe that we should learn and listen to what the elders have to say, we should also learn to close ourselves from some of them at times. Some advice which they give just harms us in the long run. I am aware that they might have the experience, but it shouldn’t be a reason for them to be so negative about things.

I have seen elders being so skeptical about new ideas and dreams. Mostly this is because they have failed to achieve their dreams. They become the pessimists in life. They refuse to believe that dreams could be achieved. They die with their dreams buried within them. 

I hate to say it, but my old man is someone who is similar to it. Needless to say, I am not close to him for this particular reason. I always feel he would be there as a brick wall instead of someone who motivates and inspires. I am sure that there are many similar people facing the same situation with me. Sad to say this, but I actually don’t really listen to him whenever he has anything to say to me.
I refuse to listen to such advice. I refuse to listen to people who tell me that life is tough. I refuse to listen to people who tell me that dreams can’t be achieved. I would not listen to those idiots who say that new ideas could not be implemented. I refuse to listen to the pessimists in life.
I want to soar in my life. I want to live life large. I want to be a source of inspiration for my children and not to be a brick wall for them. I want to live a great life. I want to look back at my life and realize that I live a life that mattered. I want to stay optimistic in the face of pessimists. I want to know that I am away from such people.
It was only until recently that I realize why this people are in my life. They are there to tell me what I SHOULD NOT become when I grow up. I tell myself that when I grow up, these are the kind of people which I refuse to be like.
It makes me realize that everyone is here to teach us something consciously or unconsciously, you only have to find for the lesson.