How many times have you said, or heard someone say, "I wish I knew then, what I know now!"

KNOWLEDGE = WISDOM = GROWTH.

Wikipedia says  Wisdom is a deep understanding of people, things, events or situations, empowering the ability to choose or act to consistently produce the optimum results with a minimum of time and energy. Wisdom is the ability to optimally (effectively and efficiently) apply perceptions and knowledge and so produce the desired results. Wisdom is comprehension of what is true or right coupled with optimum judgment as to action.

In 2008, I discovered an awesome book! Wisdom: The Greatest Gift One Generation Can Give To Another. It was inspiring to me, and I have since bought several copies to give as gifts.

It's a HUGE hardcover book weighing  5 pounds by  Andrew Zuckerman, who  is a New York–based photographer and director.

Inspired by the idea that wisdom is the greatest gift one generation can give to another, award-winning photographer and filmmaker Zuckerman interviewed, photographed and filmed 50 of the world’s great writers, actors, artists, designers, politicians, musicians and religious and business leaders of our time. He posed seven questions to each of his subjects—all over 65 years of age—and their candid responses offer uniquely inspirational and often surprising insights.

 

With the help of Desmond Tutu, Zuckerman and his team traveled to four continents to meet with luminaries from all works of life. Thoughts from Nelson Mandela, Frank Gehry, Judi Dench, The Dalai Lama, Clint Eastwood, Ted Kennedy, Robert Redford, Vaclav Havel, Terence Conran, Buzz Aldrin, Lou Reed, Willie Nelson, Madeline Albright, Jane Goodall, Burt Bacharach, Andrew Wyeth, Vanessa Redgrave, Nadine Gordimer and many more reveal lifetimes of adversity and triumph, and present intimate insights into very public lives.

 

Beautifully photographed and accompanied by a  60-minute documentary DVD, Wisdom is above all a timeless gift and a deeply revealing portrait of the common experiences that unite generations.

During this past holiday season, the publisher (Abrams) has broken the book down into 4 bite-sized chunks. Perfect for gift-giving and specific themes. LOVE, LIFE, PEACE, IDEAS.   Each of these books comes with a 15 minute DVD and very affordable at about $17.

We don't realize when we are young, but Wisdom and our experience, is the greatest gift to give someone.
If we don't learn, we don't grow!


WATCH THE MOVIE TRAILER OF WISDOM