Mistakes of Wisdom

I have an advantage that only comes with age. I think there needs to be some sort of reward for growing old. Older folks seem to have it, at least for awhile. It is called wisdom. What that really means is having learned from life’s experience. It also means the ability of sharing that experience with others.

The problem with wisdom is it must be earned through the passage of time, and experience. You can not give wisdom to someone else. They may come seeking it. Then once it is shared, it is called “learning” or “knowledge.”  The recipient becomes “smart” or “educated.” But not wise!

There are two types of knowledge. First is the knowledge that is safely learned. It can be read from a book, taught in class, and learned from a wise (old) person. It is typically called schooling. This is referred to as instilling an education rather than experience. Good schooling ties in with what is called a learning experience or actual hands on training, lab work. The problem is this is usually very short term. This can make you knowledgeable but not necessarily wise.

The second knowledge is earned the hard way, through mistakes, trial and error over time. It is true that some mistakes may be hard to survive. You learn, “Not to do that again!” Thomas Edison wasn’t born brilliant or wise. He was persistent. He “discovered” hundreds of ways not to make a light bulb. He lost the AC/DC battle. I hope he became wiser.

I wonder, if we never make a mistake have we learned anything or gained wisdom? If life were “perfect” would there be any purpose? For me, I have a thirst for knowledge and experience. This is an admission of having made many mistakes and a willingness to make more. If we don’t know what can go wrong, how can we celebrate what goes right?

Wisdom is earned by living long enough to have seen and thus know how things are likely to turn out, with problems and blessings included. A life full of events is fit into proper scale over the long haul. Wisdom is the experience of what is seen today has happened before or will be a valuable lesson later.

There are probably a few old souls out there that never learned from experience or more likely, have forgotten what they learned. They are called “old fools.” I don’t think I have reached that stage and God willing, I hope I never will. The mind is a strange and wonderful place. Some of us get locked inside. I pray I never loose the key.