Speaking Words Of Wisdom

I turned 53 a week ago. People younger than I jokingly ask what wisdom I can pass down to them. Well, I certainly know more than I did when I was 52 -- a year of living will do that for anyone. Mainly, though, I find that as I age, I tend to look at knowledge and wisdom in a different way. The older I get, the more I know. But, the older I get, the more I also realize that there's even more that I don't know than I thought there was. However much my slice from the pie of knowledge increases with age, my awareness of the size of the pie -- the volume of knowledge and wisdom that I do not possess and never will -- increases exponentially. None of which is an argument for ignorance. It is, however, an argument for humility. 

Here's more wisdom from brucespringsteen.net:

Dear Friends and Fans:

LIke most of you, I've been following the campaign and I have now seen and heard enough to know where I stand. Senator Obama, in my view, is head and shoulders above the rest.

He has the depth, the reflectiveness, and the resilience to be our next President. He speaks to the America I've envisioned in my music for the past 35 years, a generous nation with a citizenry willing to tackle nuanced and complex problems, a country that's interested in its collective destiny and in the potential of its gathered spirit. A place where "...nobody crowds you, and nobody goes it alone."

At the moment, critics have tried to diminish Senator Obama through the exaggeration of certain of his comments and relationships. While these matters are worthy of some discussion, they have been ripped out of the context and fabric of the man's life and vision, so well described in his excellent book, Dreams From My Father, often in order to distract us from discussing the real issues: war and peace, the fight for economic and racial justice, reaffirming our Constitution, and the protection and enhancement of our environment.

After the terrible damage done over the past eight years, a great American reclamation project needs to be undertaken. I believe that Senator Obama is the best candidate to lead that project and to lead us into the 21st Century with a renewed sense of moral purpose and of ourselves as Americans.

Over here on E Street, we're proud to support Obama for President.

Bruce Springsteen

"As the Iraqis stand up, we will stand down." -President Bush, 2005. Do you think this is what he had in mind? It does give you a good idea of what John McCain meant when he said that we might be in Iraq for a hundred years.

"They will fail. The terrorists do not understand America. The American people do not falter under threat. And we will not allow our future to be determined by car bombers and assassins." -President Bush, same speech. But it's not us this is happening to, is it Mr. President? I wonder whether the families are bitter enough to turn to something like, say, guns and religion...