I have two teenage children whom I could define, without parental passion, as intelligent. I also, without falling into vanity, consider myself intelligent. The three of us share the same socio-cultural environment, similar values, similar educational model, and yet there are things that we see as radically different.
How is this possible if we all move from intelligent premises?
I am going to tell you: because the years have transformed my intelligence into wisdom, which is the same as what my children have, but I add the nuances that my personal experiences have given me.
For my children, any problem has only one objective, to solve it; it doesn’t matter how, but it has to be solved. I, for my part, pay more attention to the how, I apply the values and experience of maturity and reach different conclusions, which, between you and me, are usually more accurate.
But it is not enough to be older to have wisdom, there is a long road of observation, reflection and learning that, undoubtedly, is greatly enhanced by having a base of intelligence in origin.
Being intelligent is no guarantee of anything if you do not achieve an inner balance that can only be reached with a well used age.