The Importance of WISDOM!

I’ve been seeking words of wisdom—and maturation parables –for several months for use in a youth mentoring organization I’m in the process of structuring.  Among the varied responses I’ve received […]

The Importance of WISDOM!

I’ve been seeking words of wisdom—and maturation parables –for several months for use in a youth mentoring organization I’m in the process of structuring. 

Among the varied responses I’ve received from social media: 

1. Don’t call someone more than twice continuously. If they don’t pick up your call, presume they have something important to attend to; 

2. Return money that you have borrowed even before the person that borrowed you remembers or asks for it. It shows your integrity and character. Same goes with umbrellas, pens and lunch boxes. 

3. Never order the expensive dish on the menu when someone is buying you a lunch/dinner. 

4. Don’t ask awkward questions like: ‘Oh so you aren’t married yet?’ Or ‘Don’t you have kids’ or ‘Why didn’t you buy a house?’ Or why don’t you buy a car? For God’s sake it isn’t your problem; 

5. Always open the door for the person coming behind you. It doesn’t matter if it is a guy or a girl, senior or junior. You don’t grow small by treating someone well in public; 

6. If you take a taxi with a friend and he/she pays now, try paying next time; 

7. Respect different shades of opinions. Remember what’s a ‘6’ to you will appear to be a ‘9’ to someone facing you. Besides, second opinion is good for an alternative; 

8. Never interrupt people talking. Allow them to pour it out. As they say, hear them all and filter them all; 

9. If you tease someone, and they don’t seem to enjoy it, stop it and never do it again. It encourages one to do more and it shows how appreciative you are; 

10. Say “thank you” when someone is helping you. 

11. Praise publicly. Criticize privately; 

12. There’s almost never a reason to comment on someone’s weight. Just say, “You look fantastic.” If they want to talk about losing weight, they will; 

13. When someone shows you a photo on their phone, don’t swipe left or right. You never know what’s next; 

14. If a colleague tells you they have a doctors’ appointment, don’t ask what it’s for, just say “I hope you’re okay.” Don’t put them in the uncomfortable position of having to tell you their personal illness. If they want you to know, they’ll do so without your inquisitiveness; 

15. Treat the cleaner with the same respect as the CEO. Nobody is impressed at how rude you can treat someone below you but people will notice if you treat them with respect; 

16. If a person is speaking directly to you, don’t stare at your phone. It’s rude; 

17. Never give advice until you’re asked; 

18. When meeting someone after a long time, unless they want to talk about it, don’t ask them their age and salary; 

19. Mind your business unless anything involves you directly – just stay out of it; 

20. Remove your sunglasses if you are talking to anyone in the street. It is a sign of respect. Moreso, eye contact is as important as your speech; and 

21. Never talk about your riches in the midst of the poor. Similarly, don’t talk about your children in the midst of the barren. 

22. After reading a good message try to say “Thanks for the message”. 

APPRECIATION remains the easiest way of getting what you don’t have…. 

A final lesson from a true educator : 

An old man meets a young man who asks: “Do you remember me?” 

The old man says no. The young man tells him he was his student. 

The teacher asks: “What do you do? What do you do in life?” 

The young man answers: 

I became a teacher.” 

“Ah, how good, like me?” Asks the old man. 

“Well, yes. In fact, I became a teacher because you inspired me to be like you.” 

The old man, curious, asks the young man at what time he decided to become a teacher. And the young man tells him the following story: 

“One day, a friend of mine came in with a nice new watch, and I decided I wanted it. 

I stole it, and I took it out of his pocket. 

Shortly after, my friend noticed the watch was missing and immediately complained to our teacher, who was you. 

Then you addressed the class saying, ‘This student’s watch was stolen during classes today. Whoever stole it, please return it.’ 

I didn’t give it back because I didn’t want to. 

You closed the door and told us all to stand up and form a circle. 

You were going to search our pockets one by one until the watch was found. 

However, you told us to close our eyes because you would only look for his watch if we all had our eyes closed. 

We did as instructed. 

You went from pocket to pocket, and when you went through my pocket, you found the watch and took it. You kept searching everyone’s pockets, and when you were done, you said ‘open your eyes. We have the watch.’ 

You didn’t tell on me, and you never mentioned the episode. You never said who stole the watch either. That day, you saved my dignity forever. It was the most shameful day of my life. 

But this is also the day I decided not to become a thief, a bad person, etc. You never said anything, nor did you even scold me or take me aside to give me a moral lesson. 

I received your message clearly. 

Thanks to you, I understood what a real educator needs to do. 

Do you remember this episode? 

The old man answered, ‘Yes, I remember the situation with the stolen watch, which I was looking for in everyone’s pocket. I didn’t remember you, because I also closed my eyes while looking.’ 

This is the essence of teaching: 

If to correct you must humiliate; you don’t know how to teach. 

—Author unknown