Legend says that age brings wisdom. Maybe, but it certainly brings wrinkles, grey hair and aches and pains where you didn’t know you had bones! One of my most favourite short pieces of wisdom comes from Khalil Gibran:
“Half of what I say is meaningless but I say it so
that the other half may reach you”
This resonates with me since the older I become the more I distrust the doctrine that age brings wisdom, but the words of Gibran have a simplicity that few writers have achieved. We don’t receive wisdom nor can it be taught; it is something we must discover individually on a journey that no one can take on our behalf; good people are good because they have come to wisdom through failure.
The words of Albert Einstein also resonate. Many have the privilege of knowledge but fail to act; fools and fanatics surround us. I can (just about) tolerate the fools but the fanatics are a different breed altogether. And they are far more dangerous Whilst the fool dreams in his sleep, the fanatic dreams with his eyes open and with passion.
I believe our first step is to question everything – a faculty that is being slowly eaten away as we are becoming more and more reliant on “authority” to ensure we don’t have to – the final step is to come to terms with everything. And I think I am making progress, slowly.
Khalil Gibran was a Lebanese-American poet and because of family poverty received little or no formal education. At the age of 15, he returned home to study at a higher education facility in Beirut (Al-Hikma – The Wisdom). From such humble beginnings it is wonderful to read his masterpiece – The Prophet – 26 poetic essays from which we can learn a huge amount.
On final piece of his wisdom:
“Release me from political events and power struggles; the whole Earth
is my homeland and all men are my fellow countrymen”
Until next time (a drop of ink can make millions think),
Peripatetic Scribe
A nice philosophical piece of work, P.S. and plenty of valuable views for discussion in class and over the dinner table! I especially like your "sign-off" phrase - indeed, the pen is mightier than the sword - in the right hands! Great stuff!
ReplyDeleteFrom UK another Anonymous (and a regular reader). An interesting mix of an Arabic headline, a philosopher-poet and probably one of the most renowned scientific brains of the last two centuries! A "toxic" mixture to make superb reading for a Sunday. Plenty of ideas to consider and thank you.
ReplyDeleteThanks, Anonymous (NZ) You are right and there is "meat" for discussion. The "sign-off" phrase took time to think about but I am quite pleased with it.
ReplyDeleteHi Anonymous (UK) and thank you for your words. I believe we can learn every day from a variety of sources; some are well-known, others not so, and by bringing together often different (and certainly unusual) points of view we can better understand who we are and where we should be heading. Thanks and keep reading!
ReplyDeleteFrom Beirut - thank you for remembering our national hero. You write very good sense.
ReplyDeleteWelcome, Beirut and thank you. It's my pleasure to read the work of such a brilliant mind and to add it to the thoughts of western scientists. It's a good mix, I think.
ReplyDeleteA beautiful blog! You write about so many topics (fools vs. fanatics, wisdom, politics etc.) with such ease and it all sounds poetic in the end. I particularly like the final piece of wisdom which is fundamental and sadly forgotten nowadays.
ReplyDeleteLucana
Thanks, Lucana. One reason for writing is exactly what you say - to remind many of the forgotten fundamentals of what life should be.
ReplyDeleteHave just read your blog. I can say it is one of the best pieces I have read for a long time. You have a wide (very wide) world view compared with most people and your use of varied views from many sources is excellent. Thank you and more, please.
ReplyDeleteKreso, Croatia
Thanks, Kreso. I guess my views are the result of having lived a very varied life amongst many varied people. My "world view" is that we have to, individually, take as much as we can from a variety of different sources and then consider them in detail to form our own personal concept of living life. I shall be making more comments on these aspects....
ReplyDeleteFrom Jordan....thank you for a good blog and shows you understand both east and west and how to make sense of both. Thank you.
ReplyDeleteThank you in Jordan and welcome. I have said before the only way to have a wide view of the world is to understand as many cultures as you can and the best way is through writing.
ReplyDeleteFrom Malaysia - a great article and it is good to know you understand both east and west cultures. The world needs more people like you.
ReplyDeleteThank you Malaysia and welcome. As I have said in an earlier reply, the more we know and understand the better people we can become.
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