Monday, April 6, 2015

Is wisdom really better than knowledge or strength?

The birth of the Internet and social media has made access to knowledge so easy, which is incredible when used in the right fashion. The challenge is that we assume that just because we know something means that we are smart and wise. The difficulty is that knowledge doesn’t necessarily fix anything but may even cause circumstances to become worse. I will always remember my mom’s advice that wisdom comes from past experiences where you have learned that keeping your mouth shut usually is best. It’s after listening to those around you that are more experienced and older that you eventually figure out what’s the best choice to make.
I admit that as a kid growing up too often I acted like a know-it all because I perceived myself as being smart and a quick thinker. I will always remember my dad’s response to me when I said something about his personal life that was off base and he looked at me and said, ‘Do you really know and understand my life as a kid?’ I was honestly taken back by my over exuberance of knowledge to realize that I had hurt my dad without even realizing it. Wisdom would have told me to listen first to my dad after asking questions instead of assuming that I knew and understood everything.
We have all heard the phrase that it is more important to work smarter than harder. It is so easy to truly think that you don’t need anyone’s help or advice in your life circumstances. The downside to being a hard worker is that you might miss out on someone who is older, wiser and smarter’s advice to work in a different fashion. I know that in today’s world that it is usually the younger generation that has figured out the short cuts in most situations. Yet, the reality is that sometimes short cuts aren’t the best path to take in life. So sometimes the best path to follow isn’t always the shortest between two points. It’s incredible to think of the life changing experience my dad’s last years had on me when I had to walk slow because of his dementia and stop believing that getting finished fast was all that really mattered.
It doesn’t require a PhD to realize that we have two ears and two eyes to equip us to be better at observing so we can make wiser choices. When we ignore this age-old advice from our grandparents then we end up talking and spewing forth knowledge that might not have much relevance to our present situation. My mom wasn’t the college grad smart type of person but would always tell me that if I was going to say something that was meaningful it had better be short and to the point.
I work with at risk population where school and book learning isn’t necessarily viewed as being relevant. What matters the most is for many is just surviving. There are some that believe getting a job and being able to support yourself is more important than finishing high school, going to college or even attending a trade school. The challenge in this context is that being able to read and write will make a genuine difference in your future vocational choices. Yet, I have many friends who are rich in common sense wisdom that continues to impact my life!
The real need today is for those who have wisdom and experience to be willing to share it with the know-it all types, like me and see how working together we potentially can learn from each other. I realized quick in life that having a college degree didn’t guarantee a great career path or great salary. I learned more about critical thinking from my experience as a union cement finisher after graduating from college while working for a small Hispanic Contractor in the 70’s. I learned more about thinking by watching, doing and asking then I did through college and grad school. I was taught how to work both hard and smart and accomplished more than I ever imagined could be done.
I so much appreciate this simple picture at the beginning of this post of the difference between giving it your all but not using common sense. Working hard without working smart means you are going to sacrifice your back eventually! I’m so thankful for a mom and dad who taught me both how to think, how to work and how to not be afraid to ask questions. We do need knowledge and strength in our life journey but it's through wisdom that these are best used!

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