Liz Strauss at Successful Blog

Thinking, writing, business ideas … You’re only a stranger once.

October 14, 2007

Wise Dots

ME Liz Strauss wrote this at 12:03 pm

Connecting dots with The Idea Dude

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It has very little to do with intelligence and everything to do with humanity…

Liz said this when she was wondering a week ago about what it meant to be wise. I thought about how I viewed others as wise. It wasn’t because they knew 1+1=2. That’s because they were smart. It was when they took my problem and helped me look at it in a different way and in so doing showed me the path that was obscured because of me. They didn’t have to have a solution already or have lived that problem before. They simply knew how to look at things a little differently and in doing so taught me more than I could learn alone. They were wise. Liz also said…

Maybe wisdom defined is unconditional love and understanding. . . .

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Chris talked about trust and seeking advice. Mike nailed it in his comment to Chris …to lead us either out of our current situation, or into a better one - they must first come to where we are and take our hand.

Perhaps wisdom is seeking the unknown rather than the known. . . .

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Phil reminds us that wise men ask great questions. The conversations I’ve had with great friends/mentors/advisors were always those where they never stopped asking me questions even though they were uncomfortable ones but always done with heart. They somehow knew that until they understood how I got to where I was and where I wanted to go, they could not help me. But in doing so, we travelled down the path together.

Wisdom comes from unexpected quarters. . . .

Mathew has been a long-time proponent for comments on blogs. He says, . . . I think the “conversation” is part of what makes blogs so powerful (even if it’s more of an argument!) . . . Just as no meal is complete without dessert, no blog entry should be read without the accompanying comments. They add dimension, flavor and dare I say, wisdom.

Wisdom is accumulated over time. . . .

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Jules said it best when she reminisced on when we believed we could fly and we grow wiser over the years. I don’t remember changing, it must have happened when I was asleep.

Since Liz inspired this post, it’s fitting she has the last words. . . .

We can change the world — just like that!

May the dots be with you!


Vern, The Idea Dude





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7 Comments to “Wise Dots”

  1. October 14th, 2007 at 8:36 pm
    --Deb said

    I feel wiser already!

  2. October 14th, 2007 at 8:38 pm
    ME Strauss said

    Hi Deb!
    What a lovely thing to say. :)

  3. October 15th, 2007 at 11:45 pm
    Zakman said

    Hi Liz! :)

    Quote: Phil reminds us that wise men ask great questions.

    Great note there, Phil, thanks, and I also think great men ask wise questions.

    The story (reported by “The Hindu”) goes that when the freedom war was reaching its peak in India in the 1930’s, a strong formation of people approached Swami Vivekananda in the then Madras (now Chennai) and requested him to take on the leadership of the freedom struggle. They tried to convince him that the people needed his strategic vision to wrestle the control of India from the British rule.

    And Vivekananda said, “You want freedom? Yes, I can get you your freedom in a day.

    “Then tell me now, who will carry the responsibility of that freedom? As of today, do you have the people who are strong enough to meet and justify the needs of a new free people? Freedom might come easy, but with it comes great responsibility. Show me the men and the women and the infrastructure to provide a good life to a new people, and I will get you your freedom today.”

    Just my li’l dot here :)

  4. October 16th, 2007 at 5:42 am
    ME Strauss said

    Hi Zakman!
    How wonderful to see you!
    You dot is not so little — just look at what wisdom your brought to this comment.

    Freedom is a responsibility, as most of life is. It’s the responsibility that gives the freedom its value and beauty.

    I think back on all of the wise questions you’ve asked in the short time I’ve known you. :)

  5. October 16th, 2007 at 9:20 am
    Zakman said

    Thanks for your reply Liz. You’re ever so kind :)

    I think it was the first Superman movie where Clark Kent’s father tells him, “With great power comes great responsibility.”

    I’m inclined to agree. Isn’t it like the thing with the train driver who’s rolling 2,000 ton train at 200 miles per hour. And the rest of us sleep, eat, enjoy the scenery in total confidence that there’s a responsible head driving the train.

  6. October 16th, 2007 at 9:30 am
    ME Strauss said

    Hi Zakman,
    Yeah, the guy who runs the train is alone, but he also has the best view. ;)

  7. October 26th, 2007 at 3:35 am
    Zakman said

    Liz,

    I received your above comment of Oct 16, 9:30 am (Chicago time) just now! — Oct 26 9:35 am (GMT)

    Not good :(

    … but at least something for me to complain about…. lol.

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