The experience of older people can show us the consequences of decisions we are just considering. We hear what the job looked like from the inside, what surprised the person and what they would do differently today.
In order to use this knowledge, we need to understand the circumstances. What possibilities existed then? What has changed in the meantime? Which part of the story still answers our question?
Respect does not require us to turn every experience into a rule. We can seriously listen to the person, ask an additional question and make a different decision. The conversation thus preserves the value of what has passed, and leaves us with the responsibility to evaluate our own situation.
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