Intelligence – what does it mean to you? I enjoy intelligent conversations but then what I class as intelligent conversation may not be your idea of the same.  I am not highly educated.  I do not have an overly extensive vocabulary. Does this equate to lack of intelligence on my part?  Some may deem it so, however I do not measure intelligence on one’s level of education nor on their use of high falutin words, or their knowledge of world events or other cultures or politics such as this.

I personally see intelligence as one’s ability to embrace all they can, to be open to every experience whether it be ‘good’ or ‘bad’.  It is about having an opinion or a point of view while allowing others to have theirs and listening to those opinions with an open mind and appreciating and respecting them for what they are.  We do not have to agree with one another to have intelligent conversation nor do we have to refute, merely to listen and respond.

I have had some wonderful conversations with people with no formal education, people who simply speak from their hearts, sometimes a little timidly, sometimes with great passion.  What makes these conversations intelligent to me is the fact that these people know their truth. They know their feelings and their words don’t come from another persons mind but straight from within.  Intelligence is not one’s ability to recite another’s teachings it is about one’s ability to know what they feel and to express this to honour the existence of these thoughts, ideas and concepts.

I recently had a conversation with someone who inferred I was not as intelligent as he because I had not travelled extensively; he questioned my interest in other cultures because I did not watch foreign films.  Since when does one’s intelligence align with one’s bank account or work opportunities?  Since when has watching films spoken in a language I cannot understand been a measure of my ability to use my mind?

Some one else who I consider to be very intelligent because of the stimulating heartfelt conversations we have considers me more intelligent than them because I am able to express myself through my writing.  This is not intelligence, this a merely my tool to express my intelligence; my tool to express my thoughts and ideals.  So I have the gift of the gab and my amazing friend is not so fortunate (or unfortunate as some may say!) to have this same ability.  We are both intelligent human beings, we just utilise this intelligence differently.

I have had some dreadfully boring conversations with highly intellectual beings who perceive themselves to be experts or near enough in some fields. Most of these people have not learned learned through experience, they have often developed almost tunnel vision in their pursuit of their holy grail. To be spoken to with condescension by another person reveals much more about them than it does about me. Does their lack of tolerance and ability to communicate with in an ordinary everyday conversation make them intelligent… I think not, however you are entitled to your own belief in this as you are in everything.

Intelligence, what is it to me?  It is the ability to be yourself and allow others to be who they are and still encourage and enjoy open and honest communication.  What does it mean to you?

‘Til next time… peaceful journeys