Kabbalah: 40 Up

I am presently house and pet sitting. The homeowners have an awesomely large Sony tv screen so I am trying to take full advantage of it.

I recently took out 42 Up from the local library. It is premised upon the Jesuit theory: "Give me a the child until he is 7, and I will show you the man". Is it true then, as Wordsworth and Gerard Manley Hopkins have posited, that the "child is father to the man" [or mother to the woman]?

There was a "7 Up", every 7 years, right till 42. In watching this British documentary I think I must have missed 35, or maybe not. The most striking fact about watching these people I have come to feel for, is that at 42 they have become human.

At 42, what is so outstanding is the richness and depth of their experience. Several have lost their parent/s. Several were divorced. Some have never deviated from the original conformist path, a narrow vision, and it shows in their lack of insight. Not that this is a bad thing, but just not that interesting. What is most striking about almost all of them is their deep honesty and raw humanity. Until 42 they seemed like ciphers, living programmed lives. Eventually time and life temper them.

I was quite surprised by that- how they came into themselves, became soft, accessible, wise, a Lech Lecha (go to yourself) kinda deal. Their true natures triumph, and largely that triumph is in terms of human dignity and strength. Some things they never imagined happening, did. The most lost (and mad) soul finally finds a place, and friendship; that made me weep. Family is central, and the source of redemption, for many.

It is a law that Kabbalah can only be taught to a worthy student. More importantly, I think, is that one needs to reach an age of humanity in order to study the heavens. I used to joke with my friends that a man did not become truly human until he reached 40. I still stand by that. Actually, I don't think anyone does until then. I think the Sages were so wise in issuing that edict [past 40 and married, also goes for women, in my opinion], that to study Kabbalah one must have reached "the age of understanding".

BTW, my first wish as a babe, was to be a nun; ironically, it came true, in a way. What was your desire, as a child?