“If you could leave one piece of wisdom or advice for your loved ones, what would it be, and why is that message important to you?”
It’s a question that makes you stop and think. Because wisdom isn’t about having all the answers. It’s about the lessons you learn from living, loving, failing, and trying again.
In October we celebrated National Ageism Awareness Day, a time to listen, learn, and celebrate the wisdom that comes with age. In this new video series, Australians share what life has taught them, the small truths, hard-won lessons, and moments that have shaped who they are.
After my mum died of cancer, I often wondered what her words of wisdom would’ve been. She had these little sayings that were gospel in our house: “She who washes the dirty underwear is truly the mother” and “He who sits under a pear tree will be shat upon.”
They made us laugh, but they also said so much about who she was, practical, honest, and slightly crazy. When she was dying, she didn’t want to talk about the end, but I wish I’d asked her more.
What would she have said about raising kids, finding happiness, or knowing which decisions matter most? What advice would she have given for when life feels heavy, or how to hold on to yourself when everything changes?
We never got to have those conversations. And that’s why they feel so precious.
The stories shared in this video are heartfelt and beautifully simple. Some say be kind, some say yes to everything, others say take the trip, forgive quickly or let go of what doesn’t serve you.
These reflections remind us that wisdom isn’t found in perfection. It’s found in the living. It’s in the mistakes, the laughter, the risks, and the courage to keep showing up.
This video is part of the iDecide Conversation Series, created in collaboration with Starts at 60. It celebrates life’s biggest questions and the stories that shape us.
Through iDecide, people can capture their wishes, reflections, and lessons in one safe place, a way to pass on not just information, but insight. Because wisdom doesn’t end with us. It becomes part of someone else’s story.
When we listen, we learn. And when we value every age, we grow together.