Carnal Wisdom

In late November (2016), I fell down a set of concrete stairs at the Powell Street BART (rapid transit) station in downtown San Francisco, CA. After tumbling head over heels to the bottom, I did a quick check of my sundry pieces and body parts and realized that all I had broken was my ego. Based on spills I'd taken before, I decided to wait it out until the scraped skin and soreness healed on their own. By the time I returned home that evening, however, I knew something was wrong. I'd injured my bloody and painful left shin pretty badly. 

Several days later, the wound became infected and I ended up in the hospital--for four days! Following that unwanted disruption in my active life, I began a rehab process that is just now coming to an end, three months later. It turned out that what I considered a superficial wound had created a blood clot that went nearly to the bone.

I like to believe there's always something good that comes out of the not-so-good stuff that happens to me. My life experience has proven that to be true over and over again. This time was no different. Week by week, as the nurses dressed, treated, and redressed my open wound, I experienced an amazing, close-up revelation and realization that my carnal flesh has a profound, even spiritual, wisdom of its own. I'm sure this isn't news to people in the physical and medical sciences. As long as we kept the wound clean, my leg knew exactly how to reconstruct its damaged tissues, layer by layer, in perfect order.

The result? I have a new awe-filled appreciation for the intelligence of my flesh and bones. You might read this and say, "Duh, what's so new about that?" Well, for this guy who lives in his head and the clouds most of the time, it's big news! 

(c) 2017 by Alfred J. Garrotto

All rights reserved

Signs of Wisdom: A Reflection on Sirach 4:11-19

"Wisdom brings up her children and takes care of those who look for her. Whoever loves her loves life. Those who rise early in the morning in search of her will be filled with joy. Whoever possesses her will have glory and wherever he goes blessings will follow. Those who serve her are ministers of the Holy One; those who love her are loved of the Lord. He who listens to her will have good judgment. He who obeys her will rest in safety. Whoever trusts in her will possess her and his children after him will inherit her. For in the beginning she will lead him by rough paths, causing him to fear and be terrified; she will plague him with her discipline until she can count on him; and she will put him to the test by her demands. Then she will lead him on a level path, give him joy and reveal her secrets to him. But if he wanders from the path, she will abandon him and allow him to be lost."

                                               Book of Sirach

The ancient teacher Sirach speaks of two signs that tell me when I am in the presence of wisdom:

1) Love of life
2) A sense of internal joy

And like that wise man, I can attest from my experience of life that wisdom's fruit--joy and love of life--is born of trial and failure. 

•  I have walked rough paths on the way to becoming the person I am today (still in process, but gaining ground). Everything I was taught in my early life told me I would find all the happiness I wanted, or at least could hope for in this "veil of tears," within my chosen vocation. I didn't.

•  I have passed though the fire of fear and terror. It hasn't ended but fear no longer has me by the throat.

•  "She will put him to the test." Over thirty years ago, I sloughed off the safety net that kept me in a comfortable prison. What amazes me even now is that, all the while, I was loving and serving the Lord and making a positive difference in some peoples' lives. Dare I say, many? This is a testament to God's ability to change crumbs into a feast.

•  "Then . . ." comes the "level path" of joy, insights, secrets revealed. In this last portion of my life, I am putting things together, making spiritual and psychological connections as never before.

These may be signs that I am at last growing in wisdom.

Copyright (c) Alfred J. Garrotto

All rights reserved