Wisdom, like patience, can only be gained by experience. We must all endure our own trials and draw our own conclusions, still respecting the advice of those who have explored life's distant lands before us.
Push your perspective aside and face every new encounter with an open mind. Once absorbed, these contemporary ideas can be mulled over with your own to form a multifaceted account.
It's not the situation, but rather a person's reaction to it that determines one's character.
Most of this "wisdom" can be easily dismissed as self-serving publicity or a re-run of PC "ideas." However, the singularly outstanding quotes from Nelson Mandela are of stellar importance. The next step is for EVERYONE to realize--when they are looking at another person--that they are not seeing the "intolerable cruelty and humiliation" which that "other" has endured. Thus, the viewer is not entitled to judge and indeed should be prohibited from judging another.
I would say that we cannot live in a perfect world, but we can live in a world that is a step toward perfection away from this one. If we do small good deeds, we move the world a step toward perfection. I would also say stand up for something, and you will find people who will support you, willing to second but not willing to be first. At least here, where we don't get put in jail or killed for standing up.
Award-winning photographer Andrew Zuckerman traveled to seven countries, flew 65,000 miles, and drove 5,000 more, all in a quest to ask 50 distinguished individuals ages 65 years and older what they would like others to know.
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