Appreciation Part 2: Wisdom/Knowledge

In life, we have so many people that come across our paths that teach us things in one of two ways; one is giving us wisdom and knowledge, then the other is by taking us through something that teaches us a lesson. With both ways we gain so much more insight and wisdom, but we fail to appreciate the wisdom because of how it came, who it came from, and what we had to go through to get that wisdom. 

I have gained so much in my life that I find it so funny how people react when I say that I grew up with 13 grandparents; yes I said 13 grandparents that I learned a lot from over the course of life. Some were around for years and others were only around for a little while but they imparted so much in me that some of my characteristics are from them. There is a meme that I saw one day that said something along of getting wisdom from your elders and the little girl was sitting at her grandmother's feet; well I was that little girl.

My life consisted of me always being with my grandparents as much as I could, some more than others but thats life, I enjoyed the outings, the knowledge, and the richness of the things that they taught me. I learned about old music, segregation, and even got to experience my granny talk about being a maid for "the whites" in the small town I grew up in. I saw the world from their stories, I learned about spirituality from their struggles, and I became well-rounded because of their WISDOM. I saw things differently than my family because I was not outside all the time playing, I was in the house asking questions, wondering why, and wanting to know more about where I come from. 

I am bringing up WISDOM in this part of my process because lately I have been reflecting on many different things I learned in my life whether it be from life, people, or just gaining it over time; but I have noticed that I, myself, have taken the wisdom I have for granted. It's like I have been sitting on years worth of knowledge and I have not thought to share it with anyone around me or even using it to help myself in situations I have faced or needed to avoid.

The wisdom that I received from life showed me how strong I am, how much I will never give up, and how life is what you make it at times; but the wisdom I received from grandparents honestly showed me how strong of a person I would be, how it's not in my blood to give up, and how life is what I make it. Did you see how both are parallel with one another? Yes most times the wisdom/knowledge we get go hand in hand even if it is not worded the same or thought of the same way, they produce the same outcome. 

With healing, you will find yourself reflecting and finally understanding the lessons and outcomes of the situations in life you thought you could not overcome, but your subconscious tapped into the wisdom you have stored and brought to a place that you did not realize that you needed to be at. Do not disregard when elders give you advice, do not ignore the things that people of wisdom around you try to impart on you, and also do not reject the wisdom that your spiritual guidance reveals in signs or people, because all of it helps you heal, learn, evolve, and elevate in this world.

All the wisdom I have received I am very grateful for because without that I would not be where I am now on my journey #SurvivingLife. 

-Jess Lore'al