We can all benefit when we acknowledge and embrace that
the light of wisdom shines from generation to generation.

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What does wisdom mean?

The answer to that question differs from person to person, group to group, and day to day. We can define wisdom as insight, good judgment, common sense, and wise action. I think, however, you can see the rub. What you consider insight, good judgment, common sense, and wise action will be viewed by someone else as lacking in all those qualities.

When I asked a second-grade class what advice younger students need to consider, six words came from one of the students.

Learn How to Tie Your Shoes!

On the surface, the answer seems cute, obvious, and lacking wisdom. “Of course, we need to learn to tie our shoes!” you might say. Someone else might counter with, “No need to do that. I wear slip-on loafers!”

I’d suggest we pause, move beyond the literal words, and consider a deeper meaning. Does the statement conjure images of personal growth or individual freedom? After all, when we learned to tie our shoes, we became more independent from our parents. We walked with less fear of tripping on the laces by securing those loops and knots.

The point? No matter how old or young the wisdom sharer may be, his or her words can hold a deeper meaning. Are we ready to allow those thoughts to enter our minds for consideration?

My new book, Sharing Wisdom Across the Ages: From Elementary School to Retirement, has more than 300 responses to three questions. As you read it, you will see similar and different perspectives between and within age groups. The respondents’ ages range from 7 years old to 100 years old.

Who determines what responses are wise and which are not? What is the rubric? Is wisdom contingent upon where we stand and what our experiences have been? Or is wisdom fluid and ever-changing?

We can all benefit when we acknowledge and embrace that the light of wisdom shines from generation to generation.

[The above comes from pages 1-2 of my book Sharing Wisdom Across the Ages: From Elementary School to Retirement.]

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You will find more about me at www.stevepiscitelli.com.

My newest book, Sharing Wisdom Across the Ages: From Elementary School to Retirement, (eBook and paperback versions) was released on January 1, 2023. Click here for more information.

And you can still order:

• Roxie Looks for Purpose Beyond the Biscuit (2020), in eBook and paperback format. Click here.
• Community as a Safe Place to Land (2019, print and e-book). Available on Amazon. More information (including seven free podcast episodes that spotlight the seven core values highlighted in the book) is at the above link.
• Stories about Teaching: No Need to be an Island (2017, print and e-book). Available on Amazon. One college’s new faculty onboarding program used the scenarios in this book. Contact me if you and your team are interested in doing the same. The accompanying videos (see the link above) could serve to stimulate community-building conversations at the beginning of a meeting.

You can find my podcasts (all fifty episodes) here.

©2023. Steve Piscitelli
The Growth and Resilience Network®
Atlantic Beach, Florida