The distance between knowledge and wisdom is enlightenment.”
― Matshona Dhliwayo
My grandmother was always speaking in riddles, she always had a story or some words of wisdom for everything. Only we were too young to understand or appreciate the lesson she was trying to convey because wisdom comes with years. The years we had yet to experience ourselves. Wisdom comes when knowledge meets experience and our grandmother not only had the experience, she also had the knowledge and experience that come with the years. This is why those who appreciate their experiences in life, when they get older, tend to be wiser because they have taken those experiences through the years and why they are always relentless in sharing that wisdom with the younger generation.
We may think we know everything, however, it is necessary for us to learn from those who are willing to share that wisdom simply because we have not lived the years they have. We may have our own experiences but the wisdom we learn from our parents, grandparents, and older folks can help us navigate through those experiences. Making us better equipped to not make the same mistakes, if we choose to learn from the experience and mistakes of others it gives us an advantage. Right now, lots of the stuff my grandmother shared with me is more relevant to me now, than they were back then. They have helped me to see things that would’ve otherwise gone unnoticed.
Even though society tells us that we should live our own truth and do whatever we think is best, it is this type of thinking that can drive you off the rails. You have to understand that your capacity for wisdom is limited to your experience, this will help you understand how important it is to learn from those people so filled with knowledge, experience, and wisdom God has placed in your life.
Simply Etta 