DP - Wisdom
In my opinion, wisdom is the accumulation of street smarts, common sense, and book smarts. Street smarts, or social intelligence, is the ability to get along with other human beings. It also includes the ability to get out of rough situations with as little damage to you and yours as possible. Common Sense is the ability to problem-solve every day tasks. Book Smarts is also known as knowledge. This is the learning you receive at school and through self-study. Contrary to popular belief, ALL of these things come from experience and time. However, not everyone ‘catches on’ as fast as others, or ever. Those that do ‘catch on’ are called wise.
A wise person can admit when they don’t have a solution to a problem or that they are in above their head. They also know when to stay ignorant. Some things you don’t really want to know. A wise person knows when it is best for them to look the other way. Wisdom is also about skills. A wise person has knowledge of skills that are necessary to every day life. Cooking, basic sewing, first aid, and the like are necessary skills for a wise person.
A wise person is good with relationships as well. They know how to read body language and eye movements. They know when to fight and when to back down. A wise person knows how to stir up emotions and how to elevate tensions. A wise person can sense both the truth and a lie and can use both of them to benefit themselves and others.
Wisdom is about simplifying things. It is about taking the really hardcore mysteries of our life and coming up with simple solutions. It is about caring for what is important and not caring about what isn’t important. Wisdom is about knowing the difference between a lump in your breast and a lump in your oatmeal.