Maybe- The Most Important Word For Wisdom

They say we gain wisdom as we age. I took that as truth but have always wondered- when does it kick in.

Wisdom: “The ability to use our knowledge and experience to make good decisions and judgements.”
A pretty straight forward definition.

My eyes were opened a bit when I came across a book titled I May Be Wrong.

My reaction was to think “why would I want to read a book about being wrong.” We are trained our entire life not to be wrong. If we were wrong in school we would flunk the test. Wrong at work, we would likely be fired. We don’t want to be wrong…am I right?

Then in a weak moment I thought, could I be wrong? Just ask my daughter, she will tell you. I bought the book.

The book did not rock my world, I knew it. But it did open my eyes to the word “maybe”.

Maybe is not a “power word”. It does not win debates, and rarely goes viral. However maybe- just maybe- it is a word that keeps our minds open. I know we love certainty and definitive conclusions. Confidence makes us feel comfortable. But certainty shrinks our world.

As philosopher Betrad Russel once observed-
”The trouble is that the stupid are cocksure and the intelligent are full of doubt.”

Maybe opens up our world-

• Maybe I am wrong (My daughter knew.)

• Maybe there is more to the story.

• Maybe there is a better way.

One of the quiet benefits of aging is that certainty softens. We have been wrong enough to realize how easy it is, and how bad it doesn’t feel. It is clear that “maybe” is not a thought of weakness, but a sign of wisdom.

“The only true wisdom is in knowing you know nothing.”
Socrates

Maybe keeps our mind flexible. It invites curiosity, softens conflict and reminds us that the world is greater than our current understanding.

Maybe we need a new definition of wisdom-

”Wisdom is the ability to open ourselves to the possibility of maybe.”

Enjoy your day,

Just a little extra-

In researching this conversation I looked for quotes regarding wisdom. I was surprised at what I found. Many of them did not talk about experience, intelligence or perception. Instead I found many quotes discussing uncertainty. It appears wisdom is the acceptance of knowing what we do not know.

I would like to share a few favorites-

• The fool doth think he is wise, but the wise man knows himself to be a fool.
  William Shakespeare

• The measure of intelligence is the ability to change.
  Albert Einstein

• We can know that we know nothing. That is the highest degree of wisdom.
  Leo Tolstoy

• He who knows all of the answers has not been asked all of the questions.
  Confucious

• It is unwise to be sure of one’s own wisdom.
  Gandhi

• Wonder is the beginning of wisdom
  Socrates

---

References

Cole, Garry. February 2024. Are We Old Yet? (Yes, I used my book as a reference)