wisdom, courage, and hope

to achieve liberation, two of the three will not suffice.

These three tenets (“la sagesse, le courage et l’espoir”) were first synthesized during a group therapy session facilitated by Dr. Hawthorne E. Smith, a clinical psychologist who has dedicated the past fifteen years of his life to working alongside French-speaking African survivors of extreme trauma and torture. The question, asked by a torture survivor from Mauritania, which ignited the group’s brainstorming was, “What are the qualities we need to change the world—or at least to survive in this world?”

wisdom

One conceptualization of wisdom that has stuck with me necessitates that our experience of life be reflected upon. From the point of first perceiving and processing whatever it is that occurred in your life, you gotta start asking questions about it. As an example, these particular questions have helped me contextualize my experiences and given way to new, future ways of being:

• Do I know what precipitated the event, how this state of affairs originally come to be?
• Did anything catalyze it, a point at which things irreversibly transitioned from point A to point B?
• Is there anything I would like to do differently the next time I find myself in similar circumstances?

In all cases, however, wisdom itself won’t change a damn thing. Drawing inspiration from one of my favorite thinkers, Alfred Adler’s concept of “Psychology of Use” follows a similar ideology, implying that what a person possesses (such as wisdom) is not of sole interest. Rather, it is vital to consider the attitude with which that person views the problems of life, and their subsequent ability to make use of their capacities. You will only reap the benefits of your supposed wisdom if you have the subsequent courage to act upon that wisdom in your future.

courage

What is there to be said of courage? It is fairly self-explanatory, is it not? Although, I suppose even self-explanatory ideas still deserve attention, care, and detail. Courage, as described in the way I see fit for this piece, can be understood as a willingness to march forth despite setbacks. Without having the courage to actively iterate upon our past experiences, regardless of the level of pain we may have underwent, we are stuck in “prisons of inertia.” We are unable to harness that wisdom, to make anything of it, and our understanding is never afforded the privilege of evolving into action.

Tangentially, I feel similarly about “Insight-Based” Psychotherapies. Yes, there is a time and place for insight (in this case, wisdom), and without it, there would be no such thing as growth. However, I stand firmly on the premise that behavior change leads to behavior change, and without action (in this case, courage), the change will never be fulfilled. On the other hand, courage serves only as a means to self-defeating ends without the guidance that wisdom provides. Imagine being courageous enough to fight in war, yet having no strategy to engage with it in a tactful way. You ultimately end up running yourself straight into a firing squad with your pride intact, but your brains… not so much.

hope

Hope as the tool to tie wisdom and courage together, allowing for either and both to have weight and serve purpose. Hope as an action of rebellion to a society that has consistently implied, both explicitly and implicitly, that you will never be good enough. Hope as something you do. In order to face the harsh realities of this world, you have to be radical in accepting the state of affairs as they are. It is understandable to allow that truth to diminish your self-efficacy, to foster a personality based in diffidence and not confidence. The way to living a life well lived lies on the path of hope. And the thing that makes me so hopeful about hope… well, it’s that hope isn’t just something you do for yourself. Hope is something you share.

I believe that wisdom and courage very well may come naturally to each and every one of us. And as an extension of that belief, I hold tight onto the idea that my career as a psychotherapist entails restoring the capacity to hope within every single person who walks through my office doors. So that they have a chance at liberation. So that they may utilize their earned wisdom and intrinsic courage in new ways, ways they never thought possible. So that one day… well, one day, maybe I may hope in new ways too.

“Hope is subversive. It is a revolutionary act that flies in the face of the wishes of the oppressor.” — Dr. Hawthorne E. Smith