Both Sides Now
I’ve become wiser about both halves of life since I now have requisite experience in the second half.
Here’s what I’ve discovered.
The first half, as I’ve mentioned before, is a gathering phase. I call it addition. The second half is a letting go phase. I call it subtraction.
One of the things we add along the way is knowledge. I’m not suggesting that we let go of our knowledge, just not add so much importance to it.
The benefit of subtraction happens when we discover that we are most useful when we are a conduit for wisdom vs. a container of knowledge.
All the fact and figures don’t add up when we cram our minds with them and leave no room for wisdom to assemble them.
Wisdom is letting go of what you know and letting an answer come through you rather than from you.
If your goal is to be the smartest person in the room, it’s a good bet that you left wisdom at the door.
Wisdom doesn’t want to one-up anyone. It just wants to be there for the moment that it’s needed. You crowd out your wisdom when you lean on your facts.
Wisdom allows for flexibility; facts are like iron girders.
You don’t have to wait until the second half of life to cede more often to wisdom than to facts. Anyone young or old can tap their wisdom just by letting go of having to know.
Gather all the knowledge you can. It’s fulfilling and fun. Just don’t fool yourself into thinking that the more you have, the wiser you are. It’s just not the case; it never has been.
How do I know? To quote singer, Judy Collins, “I’ve looked at life from both sides now.”
All the best,
John
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