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It's never too late to start learning

Millennials are enjoying their share of fame and perhaps even money.

The world around us is changing at a fast pace, barely giving us the time to breathe. As I look around, I see children and the youth leading this change. Authors at 8, entrepreneurs at 10, inventors at 12, and heads of start-ups at 19! Mighty impressive. But what were we doing at that age? Getting our hands dirty as we played in the neighbourhood parks, cutting pictures out of magazines for school projects or preparing for entrance exams to secure a seat in one of the best colleges?
Every generation has its advantages. The adventurous among the young discover their passions at an early age; they use the available resources to make their dreams come true. They erase the line between careers and dreams, merging the two, beautifully.
Among this happy group I notice a few unhappy adults. Why are they unhappy? Well, because of unrealised dreams. 'If we had what this generation has we would have fulfilled our dreams,' they say. True. They could have been DJs, opened their own restaurants, authored books....
A couple of weeks ago, I met a person who is taking baby steps into the world of social media. He was upset at how a younger acquaintance was better at it and has more followers! It made me smile. When did we start competing with the younger lot? I ask. At work, we have to keep pace with the changing times to save our jobs, says he. And outside work, we need to pull up our socks to be 'socially' acceptable. But, why the competition? Isn't the generation gap enough? Why the rivalry?
Millennials are enjoying their share of fame and perhaps even money. And it is natural for adults to get restless, to raise a brow, and to have an opinion. Now, if it were a race, we could have trained longer! But, they've had the lead time. Not only were we taught different academic subjects and life lessons, we were taught differently, too.
It's not all about experiences, generations or challenges; it's simply about acknowledging that the months and the years on the calendar are different. It's also about knowing and believing that it's never too late to start. I have a bag, with these words inscribed in Spanish: el mejor momento para empezar es ahora mismo. It means the best time to start is now.
It's about patience, gratefulness, and faith. It's about writing our own story - one that begins now. It's about remembering that our time is up only when we put our hands up in the air and say the words. Until then, you can script your tale at your pace with your experiences in tow.
purva@khaleejtimes.com