Blog 3234 – 09.09.2024

Wisdom

Word five of the seven encouraging and inspiring words written on the covered sidewalk drop-off and pick-up area in front of Oak Forest Elementary is Wisdom. The dictionary defines Wisdom:

I love it when the dictionary defines a word with a word contained in the word. To save you the trouble I looked up wise and it is defined as: “having the power of discerning and judging properly as to what is true or right; possessing discernment, judgement, or discretion.” Whew, let’s unload that a bit.

Wisdom is not just memorizing a lot of facts, but being able to understand and use them to figure things out. There is a Bible story about king Solomon, of whom there is no concrete evidence he ever existed, that God granted him one wish. This story sounds a lot like Aladdin’s Lamp, only the genie in the lamp, freed by rubbing the lamp, granted three wishes not just one. Anyway, God in the story says he will grant King Solomon anything he asks. He could have asked for endless wealth, a larger kingdom, or hundreds of beautiful women, anything at all, but he asked for a wise and discerning heart to properly rule his people. The story goes on to say that God was so impressed with Solomon’s choice that he also gave him all the rest too. Wise guy, that Solomon!

A smart man they say learns from his mistakes, but a wise man or woman they say learns from the mistakes of others and avoids having to make them all themselves. That is what every teacher hopes to impart to their students like it says in the Serenity Prayer, “Wisdom to know the difference.”

Everyone, infant to aged, knows something that we do not. It is wisdom to listen and learn from everyone and everything that comes our way.

Your friend and fellow traveler,

David White