Still charging forward in our #Go52 Challenge and Week 41 brings a word to the wise.
There are many quotes about wisdom floating around which makes it hard to choose just one to focus on. In times like this I often identify the objective of the challenge as it helps me refocus and hone in on the core.
What does it mean to be wise? When we think of the word wise it often conjures up imagery of owls, Yoda, or our most seasoned members of the community. For some of us, with age also comes wisdom. But what is it about age that we automatically associate with someone’s wisdom? Is it their extra life experience, the knowledge they have acquired along the way, or the good judgment that comes with that 20:20 hindsight vision? Maybe it’s the combination of all of these things that we associate with our elders. But is wisdom only limited to the older population?
I’ve heard quite a few wise (not wisecracks) comments from the students I’ve served throughout the years. Some of this knowledge came from college students, some from middle and high school students, but also from the kindergarten students I grew to know as I dipped my toes into the field of education. There is a thread that runs through all generations that offer this steadfast knowledge; they listen, pause, reflect upon the question, and then respond with intelligent and enlightened thoughts.
There is no set age at which we become wise. It is developed through our experiences, knowledge gained from them, and discernment in how we choose to respond. Most surprisingly, it is in the silence between listening to understand and our response that wisdom resides.
Here's the #Go52 Illustration of the week... "Wise souls speak in silence"
I've searched and searched for the author of this quote, to no avail. If you know who it is, drop the name of the originator in the comments.
What do you think it means to be wise?
Illustrate it. Share it. Tag it. #Go52