August is return to school month.

Our older grandchildren are in college, and the two youngest are in high school. I hope they all seek wisdom so that in later years, they always make the right choices.

Wisdom is like money; it can enrich us, but it is also like a fortress that can protect us. It is the ability to think and act utilizing experience, knowledge, insight and common sense. Wisdom can lead to success and personal well-being. It helps us make good choices and handle difficult situations and relationships.

One can gain wisdom from past experiences, from being open to new ways of thinking and from being willing to challenge the status quo. The Greek philosopher Aristotle said, “Knowing yourself is the beginning of all wisdom.”

Abandoning wisdom can lead to tragedy. The legendary Trojan War in Greek mythology began when Prince Paris of Troy pursued beauty over wisdom. Prince Paris was to choose the most beautiful of all the Greek goddesses. Athena, the goddess of wisdom, offered great wisdom. Paris did not accept. Instead, he accepted the gift from Aphrodite, the goddess of love. She offered the most beautiful female mortal. She was Helen, the wife of the ruler of Sparta in Greece.

When Paris carried her off to Troy, was the beginning of the war between the Greeks and the Trojans—a war in which Paris was killed.

The ancient Greek philosophers thought that the pursuit of wisdom was essential to man’s well-being.

Should it not be the same for you, your children and your grandchildren?