Wisdom of the Ages

Wisdom of the Ages is an interview series sharing the stories, experiences and life lessons of older people.

In this episode, we meet Shaun, 67, who reflects on grief, family, masculinity, ageing and the difficult decisions life sometimes forces us to confront.

⚠️ This episode includes discussion of dementia, assisted dying, the loss of a baby, grief and death.

In this conversation, Shaun talks about:

• The heartbreaking request his father made during his final days
• Losing a premature baby and the grief that followed
• Why men of his generation were taught to hide their emotions
• The wake-up call that inspired him to lose 25 kilos and transform his lifestyle
• Pursuing a lifelong dream at 50
• And much more!

Want to have a similar conversation with your own family? We've put together a free PDF with the top 10 questions from the show.
👉 Get it here: https://wisdomoftheages.co.uk/top-10-questions

🌳 WISDOM OF THE AGES

In every episode, a guest aged 60+ draws cards at random from the Box of Wisdom and answers questions about life, love, loss and everything in between.

Hosted by Oli Corse.

New episodes every week.

👉 Subscribe for weekly conversations:
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🎥 WATCH THE FULL 1-HOUR UNCUT INTERVIEW ON PATREON:
https://www.patreon.com/c/wisdomoftheagesofficial

💻 Website: https://wisdomoftheages.co.uk
✉️ Business enquiries: [email protected]

⏱️ CHAPTERS

00:18 Meet Shaun, 67
00:40 Question 1 - How have you healed or grown from grief?
01:11 His father's battle with dementia
01:47 The heartbreaking request his father made
02:21 Losing his premature baby son
03:19 Grief, masculinity and learning to show emotion
04:24 Growing up shy and finding confidence through sport
05:13 Question 2 - What does success mean to you now?
06:15 Question 3 - How has your relationship with your body changed throughout your life?
06:59 The health scare that changed everything
07:52 Question 4 - What is something you had to unlearn in order to grow?
09:17 Final words of wisdom
09:48 Pursuing a lifelong dream at 50
10:53 Ask your family the questions that matter

#WisdomOfTheAges #LifeAdvice #LifeLessons

Wisdom of the Ages is an interview series sharing the stories, experiences and life lessons of older people.

In this episode, we meet Pauline, 76, who reflects on childhood, ageing, self-acceptance, regret and the complicated relationship she had with her mother.

In this conversation, Pauline talks about:

• Growing up as one of triplets in 1950s England
• How getting older helped her become kinder to herself
• Why she now embraces the things she once felt self-conscious about
• Going back into therapy in her 70s
• Learning that “thoughts aren’t facts”
• How childhood trauma affected her confidence and sense of self
• Growing up with an unpredictable mother and never knowing where she stood
• The one conversation she wishes she could have had with her mum
• Why her 70s have become the happiest period of her life
• What she wishes younger people understood about work, freedom and getting older
• Why she is not afraid of dying
• Her growing interest in spirituality later in life
• Why asking older relatives about their lives matters before it is too late
• The importance of telling the people you love how you feel

⚠️ This episode includes discussion of childhood trauma, physical punishment, difficult family relationships and death.

Want to have a similar conversation with your own family? We've put together a free PDF with the top 10 questions from the show. 👉 Get it here: https://wisdomoftheages.co.uk/top-10-questions

🌳 WISDOM OF THE AGES

In every episode, a guest aged 60+ draws cards at random from the Box of Wisdom and answers questions about life, love, loss and everything in between.

Hosted by Oli Corse.

New episodes every week.
Subscribe and follow Wisdom of the Ages from the very beginning!

🎥 WATCH THE FULL, UNCUT INTERVIEW
Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/c/wisdomoftheagesofficial

📱 FOLLOW WISDOM OF THE AGES
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/wisdomoftheages.official
TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@wisdomoftheages.official
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/wisdomoftheages.official

💻 Website: https://wisdomoftheages.co.uk
✉️ Business enquiries: [email protected]

CHAPTERS
00:00 Cold open - Pauline’s biggest regret
00:15 Meet Pauline, 76
01:09 Question 1 - How has your view of yourself changed over time?
03:10 Therapy, Buddhism and “thoughts aren’t facts”
03:39 Can self-acceptance come earlier in life?
04:20 Childhood trauma and her relationship with her mother
05:17 Question 2 - What’s your biggest regret?
05:47 The conversation she wishes she’d had with her mum
07:00 Question 3 - What period of your life felt happiest?
08:26 Question 4 - What advice would you give younger people about getting older?
09:27 Question 5 - What role has religion or spirituality played in your life?
09:53 Why Pauline isn’t afraid of dying
10:15 Final words of wisdom
11:12 Ask your family the questions that matter

#WisdomOfTheAges #LifeAdvice #LifeLessons

👉 Want to have a similar conversation with your loved ones? Download the free Top 10 Questions PDF here: https://wisdomoftheages.co.uk/top-10-questions

Wisdom of the Ages is an interview series sharing the stories, experiences and life lessons of older people.

In this episode, we meet Paul, 64, who grew up gay in Canada in the 1960s and 70s before moving to the UK.

In this conversation, Paul talks about:

• Growing up feeling different and learning from a young age to hide parts of himself
• Being bullied at school and finding refuge in his art teacher’s classroom
• Living through the AIDS crisis and never expecting to reach old age
• Why he still feels like he is living on borrowed time
• His 95-year-old father choosing Medical Assistance in Dying
• The extraordinary final moment he shared with his dad
• Coming out to his parents in 1988 after years of putting it off
• The very different letters he received from his father and mother
• Why he never fully forgave his mother for what she wrote
• Trying to understand her perspective decades later
• What getting older has taught him about fear, freedom and self-acceptance
• His biggest regret, and why he wishes he had learned to “meet fate halfway” sooner
• Unlearning the need to be liked and learning to stop tolerating toxic people
• Why becoming your most authentic self matters more than gaining other people’s approval

⚠️ This episode includes discussion of the AIDS crisis, death, assisted dying and family rejection.

🌳 WISDOM OF THE AGES

In every episode, a guest aged 60+ draws cards at random from the Box of Wisdom and answers questions about life, love, loss and everything in between.

Hosted by Oli Corse.

New episodes every week.
Subscribe and follow Wisdom of the Ages from the very beginning!

🎥 WATCH THE FULL, UNCUT INTERVIEW
Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/c/wisdomoftheagesofficial

📱 FOLLOW WISDOM OF THE AGES
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/wisdomoftheages.official
TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@wisdomoftheages.official
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/wisdomoftheages.official

💻 Website: https://wisdomoftheages.co.uk
✉️ Business enquiries: [email protected]

⏱️ CHAPTERS

00:00 Cold open - Why Paul never forgave his mother
00:15 Growing up gay in 1960s Canada
02:05 The AIDS crisis and living on borrowed time
02:55 Question 1 - Are you afraid of death?
04:28 His father chooses assisted dying
06:07 Question 2 - What’s the worst advice you ever received?
07:03 Coming out to his parents
08:33 His mother’s response
09:45 Question 3 - What advice would you give younger people about getting older?
10:47 Paul’s biggest regret
12:10 Question 4 - What is something you had to unlearn in order to grow?
13:11 Final words of wisdom

#WisdomOfTheAges #LifeAdvice #LifeLessons

Wisdom of the Ages is an interview series sharing the stories, experiences and life lessons of older people.

In this episode, we meet Karen, a 64-year-old author, artist, public speaker and wearer of many other (very colourful) hats.

In this conversation, Karen talks about:

• The breakdown that completely changed the course of her life
• Walking away from a 20-year relationship and the life that looked “perfect” from the outside
• Depression, menopause and reaching a point where she knew something had to change
• Leaving teaching and deciding to only do things she loved
• Rediscovering creativity and building a new life for herself
• Why women can become invisible as they get older, and why she refuses to
• Learning to trust herself and stop seeking outside validation
• Relationships, boundaries and recognising coercive control
• Why we should play more, whatever our age
• What she has learned about loving herself at 64

⚠️ This episode includes discussion of depression and suicidal thoughts.

⏱️ CHAPTERS

00:00 No one knew the truth
00:19 Meet Karen, 64
01:17 The breakdown that changed everything
03:52 Choosing to start again
05:41 Life after teaching
06:42 “I’m not going to be invisible”
07:31 The Box of Wisdom
07:35 What do you wish you had done more of?
08:21 What do you wish you had done less of?
11:34 What is your biggest regret?
12:46 How has your view of yourself changed over time?
14:23 Final words of wisdom

Want to have a similar conversation with your own family? We've put together a free PDF with the top 10 questions from the show.
👉 Get it here: https://wisdomoftheages.co.uk/top-10-questions

🌳 WISDOM OF THE AGES

In every episode, a guest aged 60+ draws cards at random from the Box of Wisdom and answers questions about life, love, loss and everything in between.

Hosted by Oli Corse.

New episodes every week.

Subscribe and follow Wisdom of the Ages from the very beginning!

🎥 WATCH THE FULL, UNCUT INTERVIEW

Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/c/wisdomoftheagesofficial

📱 FOLLOW WISDOM OF THE AGES

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@wisdomoftheages.official?sub_confirmation=1
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/wisdomoftheages.official
TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@wisdomoftheages.official
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/wisdomoftheages.official
Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/3qpbYmFA5UTJurLxFjajYs

💻 Website: https://wisdomoftheages.co.uk

✉️ Business enquiries: [email protected]

#WisdomOfTheAges #LifeAdvice #LifeLessons

👉 Want to have a similar conversation with your loved ones? Download the free Top 10 Questions PDF here: https://wisdomoftheages.co.uk/top-10-questions

"Stay alive. It will get better. But you can't put a year on it. I had to wait until I was 67 before I found myself."

In this episode of Wisdom of the Ages, 70-year-old Liam sits down to reflect on seven decades of survival, collapse, and an unexpected awakening.

Growing up in 1950s North London amidst bomb sites and rough street justice, Liam's life was shaped early by childhood trauma and addiction. Decades later, following the breakdown of his marriage, the loss of lifelong friends, and a full year spent sitting in an armchair watching his world disintegrate, he hit what many would call absolute rock bottom.

Except to Liam, waking up with an empty head wasn't the end - it was the moment his life finally began.

Liam opens up about:

• Old-school London freedom vs modern parenting
• The unspoken conversations that silently break a marriage
• Escaping the "washing machine" of chronic rumination and guilt
• The breakthrough that gave him the three happiest years of his life at age 67
• Parting wisdom for younger generations feeling behind in life

🌳 WISDOM OF THE AGES

In every episode, a guest draws cards at random from the Box of Wisdom and answers questions about life, love, loss and everything in between.

Hosted by Oli Corse.

New episodes every week.
Subscribe and follow Wisdom of the Ages from the very beginning!

🎥 WATCH THE FULL, UNCUT INTERVIEW
Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/c/wisdomoftheagesofficial

📱 FOLLOW WISDOM OF THE AGES
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/wisdomoftheages.official
TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@wisdomoftheages.official
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/wisdomoftheages.official

💻 Website: https://wisdomoftheages.co.uk
✉️ Business enquiries: [email protected]

#WisdomOfTheAges #LifeAdvice #LifeLessons

👉 Want to have a similar conversation with your loved ones? Download the free Top 10 Questions PDF here: https://wisdomoftheages.co.uk/top-10-questions

Michael De Souza is the creator of the iconic children's TV show Rastamouse - but his journey to success was anything but straightforward.

At 72, Michael reflects on leaving Trinidad for England as a child, growing up barely knowing his own parents, finding his way from swimming teacher to writer, and eventually seeing Rastamouse become an international TV success.

He also talks candidly about losing 17 members of his family, rebuilding his relationship with his mum, why one of the biggest moments of his career was also one of the saddest, and the surprising parallel he only realises during our conversation between his relationship with his mother and his own daughter.

A conversation about family, loss, late-life success, forgiveness and believing in yourself.

🌳 WISDOM OF THE AGES

In every episode, a guest aged 60+ draws cards at random from the Box of Wisdom and answers questions about life, love, loss and everything in between.

Hosted by Oli Corse.

New episodes every week.
Subscribe and follow Wisdom of the Ages from the very beginning!

🎥 WATCH THE FULL, UNCUT INTERVIEW
Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/c/wisdomoftheagesofficial

📱 FOLLOW WISDOM OF THE AGES
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/wisdomoftheages.official
TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@wisdomoftheages.official
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/wisdomoftheages.official

💻 Website: https://wisdomoftheages.co.uk
✉️ Business enquiries: [email protected]

⏱️ CHAPTERS

00:24 Meet Michael, Age 72
00:43 Leaving Trinidad for England
02:43 From Swimming Teacher to Writer
03:20 The Rastamouse Story
05:12 What has loss taught you?
06:10 What is one of the biggest aha moments you've had?
08:06 Have you had a moment that felt spiritual or profound?
09:32 What's your biggest regret?
11:03 Final words of wisdom

#WisdomOfTheAges #LifeAdvice #LifeLessons

👉 Want to have a similar conversation with your loved ones? Download the free Top 10 Questions PDF here: https://wisdomoftheages.co.uk/top-10-questions

At 72, Joanna says her biggest regret is never confronting her father while she still had the chance.

In this episode of Wisdom of the Ages, Joanna reflects on grief, resilience, people-pleasing, growing older, and the conversations we often wish we'd had before it was too late.

Having lost her mother at just 19 and later becoming widowed while her children were still young, Joanna has experienced more than her fair share of loss. But she also speaks candidly about the quieter lessons that took much longer to learn, from setting boundaries to finally saying no.

Joanna opens up about:

• Losing her mother at just 19
• Becoming widowed while her children were still young
• Why she spent so much of her life trying to please other people
• Learning to finally say no and set boundaries
• Grief, resilience and simply "getting on with it"
• Why older people can start to feel invisible
• What being 72 actually feels like
• The conversation she wishes she'd had with her father before he died

Joanna is also host Oli Corse's godmother, making her a particularly personal guest to begin the series with.

🌳 WISDOM OF THE AGES

In every episode, a guest draws cards at random from the Box of Wisdom and answers questions about life, love, loss and everything in between.

Hosted by Oli Corse.

New episodes every week.
Subscribe and follow Wisdom of the Ages from the very beginning!

🎥 WATCH THE FULL, UNCUT INTERVIEW
Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/c/wisdomoftheagesofficial

📱 FOLLOW WISDOM OF THE AGES
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/wisdomoftheages.official
TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@wisdomoftheages.official
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/wisdomoftheages.official

💻 Website: https://wisdomoftheages.co.uk
✉️ Business enquiries: [email protected]

⏱️ CHAPTERS

00:00 Cold Open
00:25 Meet Joanna
01:36 What gives you courage when life feels fragile?
03:27 What lesson took you the longest to learn?
05:40 What was your biggest loss?
08:09 What is your biggest regret?
10:23 How does society treat older people?
11:44 What does being 72 actually feel like?
14:28 Final words of wisdom

#WisdomOfTheAges #LifeAdvice #LifeLessons