My Friend just replied:
Friend, thank you for your generous offering of wisdom towards me, I am humbled by such compassion. The only thing certain I have found in all my wisdom is the extent of my own ignorance. Time has not answered questions but has posed more complex ones that seem to have no answers. Guidance truly is benificial in life's journey but knowledge of destination a necessity to which no one is sure, a special myself. Your words encourage and are insightful, thank you again my friend.
I then replied:
I often find myself telling the youth who look up to me for guidance, "You don't get to be old by being stupid." I then have to prove myself as being wise. Sometimes it is a challenge. But, I'm sure that we are up to the challenge. The future that you wish for is easily achieved when you apply what you have learned along life's road of hard lessons. Certainly we all have made mistakes along the way, but, we are here to impart the wisdom that we have learned to those who are just beginning the journey. And, in doing so, we shall live forever in their memory! My Best Wishes.
I feel as though I have helped.....
Scott
ADDED:
This is a Friend of my First Wife's Brother, whom I infected with the "Metal Detecting Bug" some 40 years ago....
I had a couple of beep sticks and I put one in his hand and we went out and found treasures!
He just replied....In support of my Friend.
Sometimes the interwebs are a great thing!