“Son…”
Any conversation that started with this or one of the variations of an experienced voice in my life really annoy me in my younger days. It was as if I was being accused of not thinking, limited consideration, or worst case, ignorance. I found it hard to listen, unless there was a history of experience based trust.
Now that I have many more miles under my feet, grey hair instead of brown, and experiences that I struggle to remember, I understand what others were trying to tell me. It is as if our voices then and now are captured in the writer’s note; “Exasperated, I exploded, ‘They’ll never get where they’re headed, never be able to sit down and rest.’” (Psalm 95.11)
Under the assumption that learning and growing from experiences we have is important, I find myself thinking of my youth and now. To each persona, I would offer the following.
Ignore experience wisdom at your peril. Regardless of its source, personal or otherwise, there is an opportunity to learn from failure and success, good and bad. Trust is not always the right filter. The critical element is an openness and willingness to hear, see, and understand.
Insight and wisdom comes in may different shapes and forms. Often it is heard in layers. In grasping one piece of wisdom other window one discovers others windows to more. One benefits from the process of gathering, digesting, and looking for more.
Wisdom is best received in a two-way dialogue. The problem I often find occurs on both sides. I am not willing or able to hear. Equally true is the inability or unwillingness with the Other. The solution to both is to continue the conversation. Truth has an amazing way of penetrating barriers that are otherwise immovable.
As I look to the future, I find myself longing to connect to wisdom earlier rather than later. Part of me wishes that I had come to this earlier. The important piece to remember is that everything pivots in the moment we have.
Wisdom loves Openness’ embrace and company.
