When you think of wisdom and those who are wise, is there a stereotype – wise old man (or woman) with long hair and longer beard (not applicable in the case of the wise old woman though)? Dressed in white with a halo over the head? Sacred beads around the neck with a deep faraway look in the eyes?
Even animation films borrow the stereotype and so it was befitting for the doddering turtle in Kung Fu Panda to lean on a stick, and with eyes drooping under the weight of wisdom, declare that “yesterday is history, tomorrow is a mystery, but today is a gift – that is why it is called the present.” That just about makes the concept of time and how we deal with it suddenly feel like a ball of play-doh in our hands. There was a human mind that conceived and wrote that thought but perhaps it is when we see the all-wise Kung Fu Master Oogway say it-the visual of a turtle say something profoundly simple or simply profound-is what does the trick and bam… it goes straight inside us somewhere and sticks for eternity.
Wisdom is everywhere – inside, outside. It can pop up from the least expected places or be where it was sure to be found. It can stare us in the face or silently come and tap us from behind. We can breathe it in, eat it up, drink it down. Wisdom is all around. And that is another gift that we get, time and time again. Flashes and snippets and insights and revelations – all whizzing by. Look around. Soak it in. And don’t wait for an old man (or a woman) with long hair to tell you something wise – it could well be a turtle who says, “One often meets his destiny on the road one takes to avoid it”… genius!
