Opus 2014-104: On the Street: New Wisdom

Have you ever had someone share an age old bit of wisdom as if it were a new truth. 

Recently my friendly neighborhood philanthropist was excited about a book he was reading.  It was the story of a lady born in China who had come to the USA and developed a successful life.  It sounded interesting.  She shared the secret to her success:

“The bamboo is strong because it bends but does not break.”

Okay.  This is not a new concept.  I pointed out that it was true of all trees but he was still in awe of this bit of “new” wisdom.  Good for him.

It reminded me of the time that a young man shared with me a bit of poetry his girlfriend had written him.  He thought it was really beautiful.  It started off like this:

“Though I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, and have not love, I am become as sounding brass, or a tinkling cymbal....”

In case you don’t recognize the words, they come from the Bible, I Corinthians 13:1.  It is commonly referred to as the Love Chapter.

So you never know when someone will be impressed by old truth.  Keep telling the stories of the Kings New Clothes, The Little Red Hen and The Boy Who Cried Wolf.  Who knows?  Maybe you will cause someone to think because they are impressed with this new thought.

homo unius libri