Meaning of Wisdom

Before I write about Thoughtfulness and Compassion, I want to say a few things about wisdom. I have been thinking about this word ever since Toni Morrison mentioned it in her endorsement of Obama. She pointed out that wisdom is more valuable and scarcer than experience. What exactly is wisdom and why is it so important? Here is how several dictionaries define wisdom. Two words stand out from the definitions listed: discernment, judgment. I actually interpret Thoughtfulness partly the same way (the other part deals with the idea of mindfulness). In my next blog entry I will try to talk a little bit more about this quality.