Are You Wise?
Posted by Gail | Filed under Life Lessons
Are you good at taking stock of life – big-picture life – and making sense of it for yourself and for others? If you are you’d be considered “wise.” Wisdom is the product of both knowledge and experience. So it’s not just the book-learnin’, it’s the ability to take what you know and use it to increase the quality of your – and perhaps another’s – life.
Wisdom often involves:
- Perspicacity: seeing things clearly and anticipating potential problems so you can avoid them
- Prudence: acting in effective ways, achieving your goals
- Peace of mind: being able to handle whatever arises with a holistic response that’s emotionally stable and compassionate.
Wisdom is often associated with those who are spiritually advanced: Jesus, Buddha, Mohamed The Prophet and Lao-tzu. But wisdom isn’t religious doctrine, nor is custom. The rules associated with religion were created before there was common law, but they were made by men, some of whom were not the wisest. And as for culture… well…
Wisdom is sometimes associated with leaders: Roosevelt, Churchill, Aristotle and Plato. We study wisdom – philosophy is the “love of wisdom” — to try and understand it. And we study how the wise have lived to mimic or imitate in the hope of achieving wisdom. But emulation doesn’t make for wisdom. True wisdom comes through a personal journey.
According to Confucius, “By three methods we may learn wisdom: First, by reflection, which is noblest; second, by imitation, which is easiest; and third by experience, which is the bitterest.”
It would seem that experiencing stressful life events help you to grow in wisdom. Damn! So too can implementing major changes in your love-life and career, particularly in your thirties. That explains so much!
So why the quest for wisdom? Well, it seems that wisdom is a positive predictor of successful aging. Older people who are “wise” also experience higher levels of well-being, more so than they do from things like their physical condition or even their financial stability.
If you’re seeking wisdom, consider the profound words of this ancient Sanskrit poem:
Look to this day, for it is life!
The very life of Life.
In its brief course lie
all the realities and truths of existence:
the joy of growth,
the splendor of action,
the glory of power.
For yesterday is but a memory,
And tomorrow is only a vision;
but today well lived
makes every yesterday
a memory of happiness
and every tomorrow
a vision of hope.
Look well, therefore, to this day!”
November 2, 2012 at 7:51 am
Thank you for sharing this. It really hits home today.
November 2, 2012 at 7:52 am
Great Friday message!
November 2, 2012 at 8:09 am
That first line always resonates with me. This, this day here, this one I’m living right now, this is my life. Not later, when my debts are paid off, or when I lose X pounds, or finish y project. This here day, today. It helps me to focus on living well each day, or at least trying to.
November 2, 2012 at 8:30 am
Great post for Friday, such profound words.
November 2, 2012 at 9:29 am
So relevant in our household right now – both Confucius’s quote and the poem….Going on the Fridge!
November 2, 2012 at 9:54 am
That one really struck a chord with me. Living for today, but not in a financially irresponsible way, is something that we all need to do more often. I find myself looking at the past, or, thinking of the future way too often. I am trying to force myself to just slow down, and, live in the moment. Life is TOO SHORT!!!
November 2, 2012 at 11:45 am
Thank you for sharing! We tend to forget these words of wisdom
November 2, 2012 at 12:14 pm
Good post Gail! I wish more people spent their time searching for wisdom instead of searching for more “stuff” to clutter and fill their lives with. Wisdom will fill you. Material goods will never fill you. True inner peace and happiness just can’t be bought on a store shelf.
November 2, 2012 at 3:15 pm
I am going through a huge life change right now. This hits home so much.
November 2, 2012 at 5:33 pm
Good judgement comes from experience, and experience comes from bad judgement.
I have certainly learned a lot from my mistakes over the years, but I don’t feel wise yet. Hopefully I’ll get there some day!
November 2, 2012 at 6:20 pm
I have a hard time living in the present. I’m always trying to explain the past or waiting for the future (either in dread or in anticipation). I need to work on specific goals and steps to get there so I can “forget” about the future, and the future will take care of itself. When life throws me a curve, I make a u-turn and get off track. I lose focus. Thanks for a post that will redirect me again.
November 3, 2012 at 11:08 am
You are very intuitive Gail! I LOVE this – am going to print it off so I can read it everyday. Little ironic on the timing since I have been contemplating making a larger change too.
Thanks!