If you are confused, you are well on your way
Life can be complicated. If you delve into the intricacies of most any situation or topic, you will find many shades of gray, and undoubtedly some paradoxes or contradictions. If you find this confusing, then consider that a sign that you are well on your way. Another version of this is: “If you are confused, then you are beginning to understand the problem.” Certainly, having a deep and nuanced understanding of any situation or topic can offer great benefits. Knowing the facts about reality can be much better than not knowing the facts about reality. However, sheer knowledge has its limits and can bring diminishing returns with increasing effort exerted. At some point it may even bring negative returns. This brink or end of knowledge can be the beginning of wisdom. The learned add something each day; the wise let go of something each day. A key facet of wisdom is unlearning, letting go of ways that no longer work well. Increasing complexity is not the strength that wisdom offers, but rather simplicity. Organizing one’s life around a few things that one is confident about is much wiser than building an increasingly complex, teetering pile of less certain and less valued stuff. In the wise words of Lao-tse: “I have just three things to teach: simplicity, patience, compassion. These three are your greatest treasures.” Of course, in modern, capitalistic, Western civilization, complexity, impatience, and unadulterated self-interest are virtues cultivated. Complexity overwhelms simplicity in a juggernaut of competing interests meeting shallow needs. Impatience serves as a superficial imposter of the eternal now. Greed trumps compassion. If you find these clashing values confusing, take simplicity, patience, and compassion for a test drive. Still, don’t be surprised if many around you find your new ways increasingly confusing. Knowing the world is knowledge. Knowing others is wisdom. Knowing oneself is enlightenment. And many get stuck on knowledge.
