Even though you think you have the midas touch that turns everything to s**t, I must say, Mike, that you have profound wisdom that I think is a product of what you've gone through. I envy you for that. I've always said that I want to be wise when I get older.

When I drive down the road, and I see a homeless person on the side of the street. I pray (even though I think it's worthless) teach me not his wisdom. They have a wisdom I do not know yet. I hope I never have to learn it. Read Plato, Kant, and DeCart for wisdom. I wish all of your wisdom comes from books, and not life.

Here's my take: I don't think you can learn wisdom from books. Wisdom is so closely attached to feelings and experience.

Gaining Wisdom doesn't necessarily mean going through hell and back.... it just means taking the most from what you have... the experiences you go through.

I've had my fair share of shitty times. I was an abused kid, I lived without hot water and heat for a lot of my childhood... I had to come out of the closet to a really closed minded community (except my family... they were phenomenal) dealt with depression and self injury for 7 years.... knowing what I know now, though, even though sometimes life sucks, I wouldn't trade it for anything. I wouldn't value as much or appreciate as much as I do now if I didn't go through all of that.

This might be where you and I differ... and I know I have far less experience in life than you do, but I value what I go through... I guess I have faith that it'll lead me somewhere I want to be. And maybe that sounds kind of frilly and naive to someone as seasoned as you, but it's worked so far.

Someone said, " that a wise person is someone who has made alot of mistakes.". Be knowledgeble. But, value the lessons you don't have to learn.
I came very close to knowing how to fight in the jungles. I am so glad I don't know how. I don't know how to tell good food from bad food from a dumpster. I hope I never learn. I have a background in chemistry. I know ways that could make me and others multimillionares. I have no connections to anybody that would know what I am talking about. I'm a pirates treasure chest flooting on a raft, in the middle of the ocean, and there is a storm acomming.

The storm always blows the raft ashore!

Ah! I just remembered how the old saying went. I don't remember whether this is a quote, or one of my originals.

The difference between a wise man and a fool is that the wise man is a fool who has lived long enough to realize that he is a fool.

Or maybe the difference between the wise man and the fool is that the wise man has lived long enough to realise all the foolish things he has done?

Maybe, that is what Abraham Mazlo was referring to as Self Actualization.
But, the Gestalt is killing while I am in a existential nightmare.