Four Stages of A Man's Life: Stage 04: Wisdom

The last stage of a man's life is true wisdom! So first lets look at what wisdom is? Among the definitions given by www.answers.com are "the ability to discern or judge what is true, right or lasting; insight," "the sum learning through the ages; knowledge," and "a wise outlook, plan or course of action" (Isn't it strange to define a word by itself?). So let's discard the last meaning.

Let us take each of the other definitions, "the ability to discern or judge what is true, right or lasting; insight" What is this all about "discern or judge..."? Is this wisdom? Or is it justice? Or perceive? Or recognize? Let's discard that one too. The other at least seem more promising; "the sum learning through the ages; knowledge". This is probably what you will say if I ask you the question. However knowledge is a combination of wisdom and understanding. So we cannot completely agree with this one, so let's discard this definition as well and talk about it.

So we've now discarded all the definitions of wisdom suggested by answers.com. I could check other dictionaries and to come up with something that might works. But why should I? You know what wisdom is. You knew what wisdom is even before you started reading this, and you still know what it means. We are just having trouble expressing it; putting it into words.

Congratulations! You've just experienced wisdom. Wisdom refers to a pure state of knowing, that differs from "knowledge" in that "wisdom" is unconstrained, or uncontaminated so to speak, by such things as words, tangible facts, or even understanding. We're dealing with a pure sort of insight; so pure, that we can't define it using a language, yet we are fully aware that wisdom and knowledge aren't the same thing. Here, I surrender to the limitations of language, but we all "know" what wisdom is but we can't express it; our "knowledge" is too pure to be reduced to words.

So true wisdom, is a stage where you know others, a bit of the future and influence at will. The knowledge to accurately predict and read people and events. It is a stage of playing your own games. It is the stage where you say what you want unspoken. It is the stage when you speak and only few understand. It is the stage when you are in total control of all your feelings. It is a stage were you accept death with a big smile. It is a stage were you can read the natures signs. Can you?