Wisdom
“Wisdom...is
not automatic with age, rather it is pursuit intertwined with
maturity. It is also a treasure and a gift, a quality of our
spiritual lives...If wisdom doesn't take shape and form in the world,
it might not be worth much.”
Diana
Butler Bass (“Activism and Wisdom;” The Cottage: Notes on Life
and Writing, February 21, 2018)
We think of activism as
protest; as marching in the streets, and shouting slogans. But
activism can take many forms. I have a friend who calls her
representatives every morning to comment on whatever is going on in
the world. I have friends who work on campaigns for people who
represent their own ideals and values. Some of us write, or speak, or
teach. One thing is certain—age is no excuse for being inactive
when it comes to standing for justice, mercy and peace. We don't
always agree on the best approach to achieving those outcomes, but we
must keep working toward them.
Wisdom is not the
prerogative of the aged. In fact, I know quite a few old people who
do not exhibit wisdom. The young people of Parkland, on the other
hand, do. They have experienced a terrible life event—one that will
be with them for as long as they live—and out of that has come the
wisdom of maturity. I remember noticing as a child that in my peer
group were people who already seemed wise—more mature than the rest
of us. They tended to be children who were forced to cope with
difficult circumstances, difficult families. They aged prematurely;
and with that came a seriousness and wisdom about life. Unfortunately, the teens at
Parkland now belong to that fraternity. When they should
be planning their prom outfits, they will watch as the
building in which the shootings took place is demolished. They will forever bear the scars of the events of February 14th. They have
chosen well to turn their pain into activism.
Wisdom can come at any
age, or not at all. It is the result of seeking answers to big
questions. It requires self-reflection and brazen self-evaluation. It
takes tremendous courage to speak wisely at a young age. Being
discounted as “too young to know what you're talking about” is
common. Fortunately, young people are in the business of building
ego-strength, so they forge ahead, buoyed by their peers and their
sense of rightness. They possess the clear-eyed certainty of just how
wrong it was to see their innocent friends and teachers shot dead.
They are right, and they are righteous, and they are brave. And, now,
they are wise. We should listen closely to them.
In the Spirit,
Jane
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