With increasing age, dullness of mind and heart sets in.

Ah, children of the future, gather close, for the words of Jiddu Krishnamurti echo with profound wisdom: "With increasing age, dullness of mind and heart sets in." These words, though simple, strike at the very core of what it means to grow older and how we must approach the journey of life. As the years pass, Krishnamurti warns us, there is a danger that we may lose our vibrancy, our capacity for passion, and our ability to remain open to the ever-changing world around us. It is not the body alone that ages, but the mind and heart that can become clouded, hardened, and slow. And it is in this loss of vitality that we begin to lose our connection to the essence of life itself.

In the youth of your years, O children, you feel the fire of curiosity burning brightly within you, your mind sharp, and your heart open to the wonders of the world. Every new discovery brings excitement, every new experience fills you with joy. But as Krishnamurti cautions, with age, there is the risk of becoming complacent, of allowing the fire of youth to dim, of becoming bound by routine, habit, and the comfort of the known. Dullness of mind comes not from age alone but from a failure to continue learning, to continue questioning, and to keep our hearts open to the beauty and complexity of the world. The heart, too, can become hardened by the disappointments of life, closed off to the world out of fear or resignation.

Consider, O children, the great philosopher Socrates, who, though he was an old man, remained vibrant in his thinking and in his spirit. Socrates spent his last years questioning, challenging, and seeking to understand the world around him. His mind did not grow dull with age, nor did his heart become closed. Even in the face of death, he remained open, willing to learn and to engage with the world around him. Socrates knew that true wisdom was not in the accumulation of knowledge, but in the willingness to remain ever-curious, to approach each day with the fresh eyes of a child. His life is a testament to the power of remaining mentally and emotionally alive, no matter the years that pass.

Krishnamurti speaks not just of physical age, but of a mental and emotional stagnation that can come with it. To be mentally sharp and emotionally open is a choice, a practice that must be continued throughout life. When we stop questioning, when we stop seeking new knowledge, when we close our hearts to the experiences of others, we begin to fall into dullness. The heart, too, can grow numb from repeated suffering, from the weight of disappointment, or from the sheer passage of time. It is easy, as we grow older, to become disillusioned, to allow bitterness or complacency to take root. But this, Krishnamurti warns, is the great danger of aging—the loss of the joy of living, the inability to engage with the world with wonder and with love.

In the story of Leonardo da Vinci, we see a man whose mind never dulled, whose heart never grew tired, even as he grew older. Da Vinci, though surrounded by great wealth and power, continued to create, to question, and to push the boundaries of what was possible. He did not allow the passing years to slow him down; rather, he used them to deepen his understanding of the world. Da Vinci remained curious, passionate, and engaged with life until his final days, his mind always sharp and his heart full of wonder. His life is a clear example that age does not have to mean dullness, but can be the culmination of a lifetime of learning, evolving, and growing.

The lesson, O children, is clear: do not allow the passing of years to steal your vibrancy. Krishnamurti reminds us that the mind and heart are not immune to the wear and tear of age, but they are also not condemned to decline. It is not inevitable that we will grow mentally sluggish or emotionally closed. To avoid the dullness that can come with age, we must commit ourselves to learning, to engagement, to remaining open to the world around us. The mind must remain curious, ever-willing to explore new ideas, to question, and to seek. The heart must remain open, willing to experience the full range of human emotions, to love, to care, and to connect.

In your own lives, O children, I urge you to keep your mind and heart ever fresh. Do not let age be an excuse for complacency or disillusionment. Continue to learn, to grow, and to remain open to the wonders of the world. When you grow weary, seek renewal not through withdrawal, but through engagement with the beauty and complexity of life. Let the passing of years be a reminder not of what is lost, but of what can still be gained. Age is not an enemy to be feared, but a companion to be embraced—if we choose to live with open hearts and curious minds, to continue seeking, learning, and experiencing the world with the same wonder we had in our youth.

So walk forward, O children, with the understanding that the journey of life is not just a matter of adding years, but of continuing to deepen your understanding of the world and of yourselves. Let no dullness of mind or heart take root, but let each day be an opportunity to expand your wisdom, to enrich your soul, and to connect with the world around you. Let the vibrancy of life never fade, but be rekindled with each passing day, no matter your age.