Knowledge, Understanding, and Wisdom

 I was dead wrong.  After a co-parishioner intervened and took the time to get more facts, what appeared to be a sinister power play is a symptom of cognitive decline.  What people were explaining to me then that his behavior was a sign of dementia became a full disclosure of a confirmed diagnosis.  I didn't believe the explanation then because the man still drives his car.  In my mind, driving requires not just skill but problem solving and judgment.  I failed to connect the dots, assumed incorrectly, and reacted with  hysteria if not paranoia.

I am grateful that with this new revelation, my mind and heart opened up with greater knowledge, and with that perchance, a good measure of understanding.  And where does wisdom enter the picture?  I now learned valuable lessons.

Assumptions should be tested before judgment.  The truth is more than what one perceives.  Communication opens not just the mind but also the heart.

Instead of praying to get away from this man, it should be directed towards the well-being of the family suffering the effects of caring for someone whose mind is slowly declining and changing with age.  The prayer should be of compassion, strength, and endurance to overcome the challenges of caring for a person with dementia.

Oh Lord, thank you for showing me a better way by which I view a situation, unpleasant though it may be.   I pray that the Holy Spirit will give me the gifts of knowledge, wisdom, and understanding so I can see through difficult situations clearly with a bigger heart for compassion rather than the passion to be proven right.