I wanted to comment on the tagline that I chose for this blog. From T. S. Eliot’s Four Quartets:
Do not let me hear
Of the wisdom of old men, but rather of their folly,
Their fear of fear and frenzy, their fear of possession,
Of belonging to another, or to others, or to God.
The only wisdom we can hope to acquire
Is the wisdom of humility: humility is endless.
When I read these lines for the first time, a little over a year ago, they shocked me. It has been my goal to ‘be wise’, however presumptuous that may sound, since I was a teenager. My father told me as a child that wisdom was the thing to seek above all, and I’ve never entirely forgotten it. But my ideas of wisdom have always involved lofty visions of books and studies and doctoral theses. I always assumed (though I never stopped to think about it) that intelligence and wisdom were mutually connected. The result was a ridiculous arrogance which I hardly noticed, though others did. There was always an idea in the back of my mind that I, seeking wisdom, was therefore much better and wiser than all those other fools out there. And thus I became the greatest fool of them all.
I find it ironic that I really did find what I was seeking in my books, but it was exactly the opposite of what I was expecting. I thought to find in logic and intellect the key to the universe. I disciplined myself and learned everything I could learn, letting friendships and relationships go in a narcissistic pursuit of a vague absolute which I called “the Truth”. I neglected my everyday responsibilities to concentrate on ‘big’ problems; I philosophized and pontificated and generally made an ass out of myself (which I still do on a regular basis), and in doing so lost everything in life that was really important.
It took two people—one dead and one living—to painfully knock some sense into my ever-swelling head. One of them talked incessantly about Love: not as one of many worthwhile things in life, but as the only worthwhile thing. The other called for absolute Humility: not a wishy-washy pretense at it, but a firm and honest knowledge that you are not your own, for you were bought with a price. This is the true wisdom, and this is the only wisdom. The wisdom of humility and the wisdom of love are one and the same, for it is impossible to be humble except through loving others, and it is impossible to love others except through humility. And it is impossible to do either without a complete surrender, a letting go of the fear of possession, of belonging to another, or to others, or to God.
And this too is impossible. But we thank God that one day not so long ago he sent the Impossible to become Actual.
Humility is endless.
i am blessed by this. yeah, it is impossible to love without humility. i believe that’s the reason why Christ loves us completely – because He too is completely humble.
By: inkstreaks on October 23, 2007
at 9:26 pm
I so often try to get wisdom (or to prove to everyone around me that i already have it?) by showing off my knowledge…the connection between wisdom and intellect as you put it.
Maybe true wisdom is realizing how puny our intellect really is. Seeing ourselves for who we are and not distorting the truth by the pride of supposed knowledge.
Basically, I’m not saying anything new here…just that I agree with you wholeheartedly
So what do we do then? If Proverbs tells us to seek wisdom no matter the cost, and our instinctive method of relating knowledge and wisdom is bunk…now what?
Could it all come back to love…or am I just using a cliche?
By: Jason on October 23, 2007
at 9:37 pm
This world they say is an illusion….a dream. Our thoughts and actions are like threads of a net that we weave around ourselves. A veil has been drawn over our mind’s eye and we live out our lives bound and blind folded. Life, they say is a play of shadows through which most of us sleep walk.Few have awakened from this sleep and have tried to show light to the rest of humanity. They succeeded only partly, passing away, leaving behind empty forms to be distorted and misused by their followers.Holy books, sacred messages, rites and rituals, they say, are mere shells. The spirit within, having long departed, along with the Messenger. These shells and forms are mere signposts for those who seek the formless…..and only the true seeker, they say, will find the Path.
By: ashodara on October 24, 2007
at 12:58 am
Thanks for the comments, guys.
Inkstreaks–I totally agree about relating the perfect humility and love of Christ. He came among us as one who serves.
Jason–yeah, we’re probably using a cliche
But it’s only a cliche because it’s true–everything always comes back to love.
Ashodara–Thanks for the perspective. I’ve got to think about that one some more, but I think I agree with most of it. I would hesitate to say that the world is complete illusion, though it is certainly illusory–meaning to say that reality is likely much, much different than our perceptions represent it. It quickly becomes difficult and frightening to think about, doesn’t it? I agree that the forms of religion and doctrine are signposts pointing to the Formless. As far as ‘true seekers’ go, I question whether it is humanly possible to be one. I don’t think any human can ever find the Path without outside help. That is the primary reason why I follow Christ–the impossibility of being a ‘true seeker’ is too great of a burden for me.
Thanks again for stopping by.
By: anodos99 on October 24, 2007
at 9:30 pm