Wisdom Paper - Essay Example

   I consider Martin Luther King Jr. wise because of his exceptional leadership skills that showed up during the US Civil Rights Movement. Besides, I am not the sole appreciator of his wisdom as his wisdom has been acknowledged and appreciated at various levels and at various points in time in the past. Some of the evidence include the Presidential Medal of Freedom and the Novel Peace Prize that Martin Luther King Jr. received. Where there is wisdom, sensible and revolutionary ideas surface. Since Martin Luther King Jr.’s efforts were directed at the acknowledgment of equal rights of all communities dwelling in the society, he was certainly wise.

   I consider my grandmother wise because she conforms to the definition of wisdom that I believe in and have discussed above. She has spent a whole life during which she has seen a lot of highs and lows. She has been through a lot of enlightening and tough experiences and challenges, all of which have added to her knowledge of the best ways to deal with them, and so she has become more learned and wiser as she has aged. Perhaps it can be said for all elderly people, but some people do not learn from their mistakes, so they cannot be considered wise even if they are old. I am sure my grandmother is not included in that category.

   While I have had a lot of opportunities to learn from my grandmother, I have not been quite as lucky to learn from Martin Luther King Jr. as he died several years before I had born. However, having read his biographies, and the books and articles written about him, I have learned a lot of qualities and philosophies of Martin Luther King Jr. that were described in them. Obviously, learning from a living person is a much different and better experience than learning from second-hand accounts about a person who has passed away. Since my childhood, spending at least half an hour a day solely with my grandmother whenever she is at my home has been my habit. Whenever we are together, I ask her questions about her life, and her experiences, and tend to understand her thoughts, philosophies, and opinions about all kinds of issues. These experiences have been extremely informative, spiritually rejuvenating, and enlightening for me.

   I think that wisdom and learning are interrelated terms in that wisdom is enhanced by learning, but the two terms cannot be used interchangeably since they differ in their meanings. Wisdom is in-born. It is the sense to distinguish between right and wrong. Learning, on the other hand, is the knowledge that is not in-born but is acquired. Learning enhances wisdom. As an adult learner, this week’s learning resources on wisdom have provided me with a comprehensive insight into the concept of wisdom, and by reflecting upon my experiences, I have developed a firmer understanding of wisdom. This influence will improve my practice as an education professional as I know what are the potential sources of learning and wisdom and how can the learners be motivated to optimize their potential to learn.