While looking for the Confucius quote for Wednesday’s blog on a simple vs complicated life, I suddenly noticed this one at the top: “By three methods we may learn wisdom: First, by reflection, which is noblest; Second, by imitation, which is easiest; and third by experience, which is the bitterest.”
In 2019, I wrote part one of this blog, The 3 roads to Wisdom, following the meaning of a Sanskrit name (“the road from love to wisdom”). In that blog, I concluded that these 3 roads must be: Love, Knowledge and Power. The new Confucius quote above reveals the tools to do so: introspection, imitation and experience.
The overlap between both paragraphs might be as follows:
1. introspection ==> self-love (ie, philautia) ==> Love;
2. imitation ==> be first, be smarter or cheat ==> Knowledge;
3. experience ==> harder, better, faster, stronger ==> Power.
At work, I observed the strengths and weaknesses of others. I copied their strengths and did not repeat their flaws. My bitter experiences were in my private life. I wasn’t able to copy the strengths of others due to loyalty and a lack of reflection. These bitter experiences eventually caused a melt-through (ie, a burnout) at work.
Since several years, I’m finally in balance after some two decades of increasing unbalance. That doesn’t imply that I’m healed. I still carry the scars inside. Women have the capacity to scratch these scars wide open when they touch the wrong buttons. This may be a reason why I prefer my own company (my solitude blogs).
My road to wisdom is long and winding (see song below). As long as I’m still learning each day, my road hasn’t ended yet. Sometimes, that winding road takes an unexpected turn. I cherish those moments. When you go off the beaten track, new insights may suddenly appear.
Perhaps, all roads lead to Rome and to Wisdom, if only because with age comes wisdom.
The Long and Winding Road (1970) by The Beatles
artists, lyrics, video, Wiki-1, Wiki-2
[Verse 1]
The long and winding road that leads to your door
Will never disappear, I’ve seen that road before
It always leads me here
Lead me to your door
[Bridge]
Many times I’ve been alone, and many times I’ve cried
Anyway, you’ll never know the many ways I’ve tried
[Verse 3]
And still they lead me back to the long and winding road
You left me standing here a long, long time ago
Don’t leave me waiting here
Lead me to your door
Note: all markings (bold, italic, underlining) by LO unless stated otherwise.
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