Teenage grandchildren

Our grandchildren are discussing what subjects to take at GCSE. It got us into talking about life-long learning and changes in our lives. Think, for example, of the world-wide web [1989]; the shrinkage of religious influence in the UK; the impact of social media; Brexit, covid 19; your own ageing. [1] Clearly choosing which [academic] subjects to learn affects job chances and life-interests – as it did for us. [2] But a key to education and living lies in understanding ‘how’ you yourself best learn. [3] And for all of us there is the personal task of sustaining our passions and commitments whilst being open to new ventures. [4] In all of it, as has been said so often, we each have to work at adapting and making changes. [5] Some would say the large issues today are - wars and conflict, disease and covid, climate change and water shortage, the whole financial system: somehow humans have to sort them together.