The Dishonored Sage and The Collapse of What Might Have Been

We are witnessing the result of dishonored sages; wisdom and patience aborted for debauchery. Youth is celebrated to the point of disgust, maybe even fear, regarding the natural course of aging and the knowledge gained with it. Against the din of this clamor their wisdom appears silenced, however they remain. It is in the corners of our society where table top games, coffee, and relationship meet with the past and present. It is in these treasured passing windows of time we find our oracles; foretelling outcomes and offering healing to the few in this generation who are present and hearing.

We have celebrated sex and innovation and still fail to glorify awareness and self discovery. To do so would demand a journey requiring their voices be met along our way. Historically, the wisdom of sages was sought and celebrated. Their shared stories did not simply remain tales. Instead, they became salve for the soul and strategy for the critical thinker. Those who took heed to their words, and embraced their hard-learned lessons, discovered the value of life. The investment pursued was never in gold, but in time and the power of choice.

Who are the Sages in your life? What do your Elders say of your world and your options regarding the direction you are moving? Have you stopped to listen and spend time with wisdom? Have you exercised patience with the pace of the oracle's rhyme or riddle?

• Lisa M. Reyes