I have written about wisdom before; however, the question is: what do knowledge and wisdom mean to you?

 

Today, with the introduction of Artificial Intelligence (AI) becoming more prevalent, what does wisdom mean to you?

 

What is each one of us doing to increase it and learn from the wisdom of others?

 

Some of it is a knowledge transfer to our youth for those who want to listen.

 

Some of it is being poured into by others attending conferences and learning new things we did not know.

 

For all practical purposes, let’s use the word metacognition.  Merriam-Webster defines it as “The awareness or analysis of one’s own learning or thinking processes.”

 

METACOGNITION Definition & Meaning – Merriam-Webster

 

As a lifelong learner, I’m still working every day to acquire new information I was either numb to or didn’t know existed.

 

We are all an open book.  “When we live our life as if it is an open book, we are free in body, mind, and spirit and allow anyone to read from our pages.” — Unknown

 

I remember hearing a homily about being a “Living Letter.”

 

It’s something that I strive to be as I share my knowledge and wisdom with others.

 

2 Corinthians 4: Living Letters | Ken Boa Reflections

 

Part of what I have learned over the last three years is a deeper understanding of both my faith and the wisdom packed within the Bible.

 

I don’t profess to be a Bible scholar by any means; however, what I know today is light-years ahead of what I knew three years ago.

 

Sometimes we must be intentional in learning more, and that is what I have done over the last three years.

 

If you have ever read “The Four Agreements by Miguel Ruiz and Janet Mills,” it’s this wisdom that I continue to learn and dream from as I search for new knowledge and wisdom.

 

Many of us discriminate against what we want to learn and dream about, or against what we perceive as worth knowing.

 

Although my parents are no longer on this earth, the life lessons they imparted to me are and remain a powerful insight into who I am today.

 

It’s that wisdom and knowledge that make me who I am.

 

Each of us has the freedom to learn once we leave the house as we strike out in our adult lives.

 

To me, there is so much we can learn from the wisdom that is yet unknown or untapped.

 

Years ago, I converted to Catholicism and found myself with the wisdom to understand the word “judgment”.

 

It’s within the specific word that I found out about the poison we put on others and ourselves.

 

It’s poison when we judge others and feel the need to judge them.

 

Today, the wisdom and knowledge of understanding that being a living letter is not about judging others and reading have helped take my wisdom to another level.

 

My question to you is: how has your search for knowledge and wisdom turned out, and what does it mean to you?

 

I’m well aware that each of us has blind spots we can’t see, yet what do others see in you when they ask for your opinion on something?

 

I’ll close with a specific reminder that stays with me when I’m attending any social or conference event and talking with people for the first time.

 

It’s having the wisdom to speak on any topic, or at least to know something about it, as a sign of being well-read.

 

Although I don’t profess to be a know-it-all, growing up, some adults would tell me, “I’ve forgotten more than you know,” which was a driving factor in learning more than the person I was speaking to.

 

When I hear those words, it’s a reminder that there is more to learn.

 

Marcus Aurelius consistently stressed virtues like self-control, patience, fortitude, and wisdom.

 

“Knowledge alone is not power; it becomes power only when applied effectively through action, judgment, and influence.”

 

Knowledge Is Not Power | Conversational Leadership

 

Today, I challenge you to consider what knowledge and wisdom mean to you. Are you passing it on to the next generation, or are you just living and allowing your wisdom to shrink or atrophy?