Weekend Wisdom! by:Linda Fitzgerald
This is one of those days when I have loads to say and am trying to decide when
, where and how to say it!
Frankly, I've become somewhat of a cynic and skeptic while growing more 'chronologically mature'. I take a "jaundiced" view of much that passes as 'news' or 'expert opinions' or otherwise purported 'wisdom'.
I think it's a healthy perspective to adopt, given the state of our culture and society today, and that includes what I'll refer to as the "Christian" culture.
Thursday while driving to the Ohio event, I noticed a church sign. I notice them often and marvel at how they range from totally not theologically correct to how assinine most of them happen to be. This one took the cake as the old expression goes. Here's what it said:
"Wisdom is having a lot to say and saying nothing!"
"What?!", I shouted as I drove by. "How in the world of sanity could anyone believe that is wisdom!"
I'm taking on this subject today because we do a lot of talking here about "wisdom". I believe wisdom is part and parcel of what occurs as we travel through the 2nd half of the journey; knows no particular gender, but is something that women have intuitively and is of profound importance when we seek to apply it to daily life - ours and that of those we care the most about.
Because many of us at AWP are Christian by desire, I'm looking at this from that perspective. But the same applies regardless of the faith tradition to which we adhere.
For too long, folks of faith have kept still. We used to be called the "silent majority". We stood idly by while others of a lesser persuasion took 'pot shots' at us and then began to take action to strip us of our rights and privileges as citizens of the USA.
As women, myself included, we kept still while women of any persuasion, around the world, were brutalized, violated and otherwise held in the same contempt that much of the world, including the Christian world have always held women. I recall hearing the story of a woman in our community who was brutalized by an abusive husband being told by her "pastor" that if she "left and divorced him", she wouldn't be welcome in the church anymore because she would have "committed a sin".
And we wonder why folks leave the church or don't want to adopt our way of viewing the life and the world around us!
This may not be of interest to you and you may wonder why I've gone in this direction this weekend day. It's a combination of things that began with that ridiculous statement on a sign in the yard of a building called "church".
I've gone here because one of the things that I believe is part of the vision and mission of AWP is that we owe it to each other to 'mentor' ourselves in such a way that we grow in grace, stature, intellect, understanding and wisdom. We grow in care and compassion for each other. And we call into account those things that are phoney expressions of a great truth so that not one of our 'sisters' here - or anywhere for that matter - falls prey to misrepresentation(s)!
One of the greatest travesties of our society today is that those of us who have been growing in wisdom have remained silent. We've bought into a brand of theology that seeks to keep us, as females, confined to the 'back of the building' and quiet in the process.
My dear beloved friends - women of considerable excellence, heart and wisdom - that's not what we're "called" to do. It is not wise to know the truth and keep quiet. Wisdom, true wisdom, is having a lot to say and knowing when to say it!
It we take the 'man' as the model, and regardless of the faith tradition out of which you come, most great religious traditions recognize the 'man' at the very least, a great teacher and prophet; we know that he had loads to say and had the wisdom to know when to speak and when to remain silent!
It is wrong to take one small piece of truth and blow it into the whole truth. So taking a comment from Paul to an unruly group of folks in one of his early communities to be the whole truth of how it is we should behave, is to ignore that fact that later in his writings, he implored his young student, Timothy, to encourage women of our vintage to be mentors to those younger than us. If we are so fragile and idiotic as to have to sit in the back and remain silent, then pray tell me why would we be entrusted with training and teaching the oncoming generation of female-types?
Oh, I've gone on a rant. But I make no apologies for doing so. I'm outraged by such idiotic nonsense that, underneath it all - when all is said and done - is nothing more than old gender prejudices. And it wouldn't be so bad if it only took the form of superficial matters; but when it comes to telling the world that both genders need to exercise 'wisdom' by keeping what needs to be said hidden in our hearts, I want to take up arms!
So I did! I took up my pen in the form of the computer keyboard and expressed my outrage with such utter stupidity and perversion of the facts of what we are called to be and do!
Now I feel better. But my prayer today is that no one - not a single soul, male or female - will see that sign! And that as women of excellence, we will exercise the privilege we have to say what needs to be said when it needs to be heard; remain silent when it is right and proper to do so; and - have the wisdom - to know the difference.
Blessings on your day!
About the author
Linda S. Fitzgerald, M.S.Ed, has a passion for enriching, empowering and encouraging women to achieve their God-given destiny. A professional therapist by background and destiny-design coach, she is chief architect for the web's newest online COMMUNITY for all women whether over 40 or not! Please visit
http://www.awomensplace.org/blog for great information on topics of interest to women transitioning through life's most exciting season. Checkout
http://www.awomensplace.org to join dynamic women of excellence as we journey through the 2nd half of life together!
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