Wisdom at 96: Life Advice from a Century of Experience

What gives you a sense of awe? You might imagine standing on a wide-open plain with a storm approaching, or holding the tiny finger of a newborn baby. That word, awe - the feeling of being in the presence of something vast that transcends your understanding of the world - is often associated with the extraordinary. But you don’t need remarkable circumstances to encounter awe.

You can find it every day, often in the humblest places. Staring up at a starry sky; looking at a sculpture that makes you shudder; listening to a medley of instruments joining into one complex, spine-tingling melody - those experiences remind us that we’re part of something that will exist long after us.

Luckily, we don’t need to wait until we stumble upon it - we can seek it out. Awe is all around us. With a little intentionality, we can reclaim our sense of wonder in the everyday, ordinary moments of life. Perhaps awe, while an ordinary response to the extraordinary, is also an extraordinary response to the ordinary.

Featuring Dot Fisher-Smith.
Filmed in Ashland, Oregon, USA.

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Who is Reflections of Life? We are Justine and Michael (previously known as Green Renaissance). We use our passion for filmmaking and our love of storytelling, to remind our audience of one simple truth – that we are all human. The more that we understand and believe in this interconnectedness, the more we will treat ourselves, one another, and planet earth with a greater sense of compassion.

Filming - by Michael Raimondo
Editing - by Justine du Toit
Sound mix - by Tamryn Breakey

The following music tracks are used in this film:
Lullaby to a Bird - by Yoav Ilan (via ArtList)
Pirates And Princesses - by Johannes Bornlof (via Epidemic Sound)
Sky Blue - by Yoav Ilan (via ArtList)
Distant Embers - by Adi Goldstein (via ArtList)
Imagine - by Valter Nowak (via Epidemic Sound)
Under Quilted Canopy - by Doug Kaufman (via ArtList)

A huge thank you to these guys, who gave so generously of their to time to help with translations, enabling us to provide subtitles in the following languages:
Chinese (Traditional and Simplified) - by Shun-Ying Lu
Croatian - by Davor Bobanac
Czech - by Katarína Božek
Dutch - by Karla Greven
English - by Justine du Toit
French - by Amélie Macoin
German - by Tanja Pütz
Greek - by Vicky Polychroni
Indonesian - by Ary Nuansa
Italian - by Grazia Gironella
Korean - by Hotae Devin Noh
Macedonian - by Lidija Pusevska Markovska
Polish - by Anna Konieczna
Portuguese - by Sibylle Steinpass and Lucivani Valvassori
Slovenian - by Tadej Pasar
Spanish - by Paty Aguirre
Thai - by Ornwara Diloknawarit

[WiseAdvice]

Everyone who reads this, we don't know each other and probably never will but I wish you all the best in life and all the luck in the world

[daphnederry]

No need to fear! Eat well, keep moving. Do yoga, dance, walk: do what you love! Work on any trauma issues. I'm 84 and happy

[solidagold]

My ex once got mad at me that I "need to touch every leave we walk by". I felt so weird and got a little bit hurt to be honest, I did it because I felt happy, felt like a little kid again with him. But I felt so disappointed after he judged me for doing harmless stuff like this. Watching this video and seeing her gliding her fingers through the tall grass, gives me a sense of empowerment and calmness that what I am doing is not wrong, it serves my inner child. I am still interacting with nature, like forming hearts out of leaves, but it is still great seeing such a wise person doing "childish" stuff like this.

[bell]

She is the clearest and most vital 95 year old I've ever seen. Not to mention beautiful.

[missamelie]

She's a treasure.
Within these 12 minutes I feel as though an angel has spoken to me.

[Cindyscrossstitch]

Does anyone else wish she was your neighbor? 🌻❤️

[conniebarkdull]

Her mobility is amazing. Her mind is so very sharp and clear. How wonderful.

[TinaSotis]

Words fail in expressing the gratitude I have for this video. I'm 68 and frightened of what lies ahead for me. I can see now that there's nothing to be afraid of.

[beeticket]

She's that special blend of old in soul and young at heart. Both the child and the sage.

[sharonalbrecht]

“It’s never too late to have a happy childhood.” Her story is so much like mine!!

[NolWay]

It's amazing how sharp her mind is at 96. The depth to her words and wholeness of spirit is really something to listen to.

[birgitditto]

She is awakened. She knows who she really is. I hope she will keep on shining her light. ❤❤❤

[beerman]

Historically elders have been revered for their wisdom and heart and experience. Time for us to revive that ethic...

[IMAInteriors]

God... what´s with this channel? every time I finish watching one of your videos I feel like I've made a new friend.

[encompassvideo]

I wish I could visit her every day and chat. Her house is so cozy. She is as fast-thinking as a 30 year old. What a gem.

[Caballoenfuego]

My grandfather always said, "Go slow, you'll get there faster. " The older I get, the more I see the truth in it. Wish I had listened sooner.

[biddydibdab]

It’s so enjoyable to see an elder who looks like an elder and speaks like an elder. So superior to those elders who spend all their time and effort trying to be and look young.

[synappticuser]

May we all come to know such peace, serenity, and contentment, and may we all recognise the light that we are. May we celebrate our lives, and be thankful.😊

[michellemeister]

Watching this as I hold my 7 week old baby as she naps on my chest. Looking at her tiny features it’s incredible to think of the changes she will go to through in this life and, with any luck, make it to the age of this wise woman. We’re all so lucky to be here ❤️

[lshwadchuck]

As she spoke I was full of curiosity about her. Your film didn't show her hobbies or cooking, but I did love seeing her exercise. However, her advice to 'Go slow' for longevity was so simple yet it really resonated with me. I quit an unsustainable career at 53 and moved to a cottage in the woods near a sweet village. I'm 72 now and when she said 'Go slow' I breathed a sigh of agreement. I've been slow living for nearly twenty years and have no health problems yet. What gets me out of bed when it feels like everyone in my circle of intimates is suffering is my piano, which I started learning to play when I was 66.