“With age comes wisdom,” the saying goes. Science now proves this is true.

A study led by Professor Dilip Jeste, of the University of California, San Diego, evaluated brain scans of people between the ages of 60-100 and found they had more activity in the regions of the brain associated with wisdom. The research also showed that the brains of elderly people are less dopamine-dependent, which translates into them being less impulsive. Clearly, the elderly make wiser decisions.

This truth was made evident to me in my adult relationship with my mother.

In my teenage years, I often refuted my mother’s advice. I felt that we were worlds apart and that I knew “better” than she. In my eyes, she was out of touch with the latest trends, pop culture news, and current events.

I’m glad to report that I was wrong. It wasn’t until I grew up and became a mother that I realized my mom’s wealth of unconventional wisdom came from years of experience. This is the beauty of aging: hindsight is 20/20.

Nowadays, I gladly welcome Mom’s input. God in His Sovereignty allows us to gain wisdom from our life experiences and the experiences of others. We can then impart that wisdom to those who come after us. In doing so, we honor God and uplift others.