Experience: A Good Teacher

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There is an old story of a man in West Virginia who had a reputation for being wise and for giving sound advice. A young person went to him one day and asked, “Uncle Jed, how come you have such good judgment?” “Well, I have good judgment because I have had a lot of experience,” he replied. And the boy said, “Yes, but how did you get all that experience?” “Well,” the man mused, “I got it by making a lot of bad judgments.”

If people have traveled the road before us and can tell us what that road looks like, then we are wise to listen to what they have to say.

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