Wisdom Is the Daughter of Experience

Since his earliest days with me, Bob has always seemed at his most focused when he feels under threat. His eyes dart around, his ears prick up and his tail points upwards. It’s as if he is primed for anything – and prepared for the worst.

This is natural, animal instinct, of course, but I’ve often wondered whether it is also to do with his background, the hardships he suffered during his early days on the streets. Was he once attacked by a dog, for instance? Is that why he is wary of some aggressive breeds?

Regardless of the past, the key thing is that he has learned from that experience. Wisdom, in his case, is very much the daughter of experience. The wisest of us are those that, like Bob, draw the biggest lessons from the hardship life throws at us.