If I meet a wise person, I think, 'Yes, tell me more about

Hearken, O children of generations yet to awaken, and attend to the words of Min Jin Lee, whose voice bears the hunger for wisdom and the yearning for guidance: “If I meet a wise person, I think, 'Yes, tell me more about parenting, about marriage, about how to stay in love. Tell me more about how to be a decent person living in a world that's filled with chaos.’” In these words lies a timeless truth: that the heart seeks counsel not merely for knowledge, but for living rightly, nurturing others, and cultivating virtue amidst the turbulence of life. Wisdom is not abstract; it is practical, intimate, and urgently necessary for the navigation of love, duty, and human character.

The origin of this reflection rests in Lee’s own engagement with the complexities of family, relationships, and moral life. She observes that life is a realm of uncertainty, where challenges abound in the raising of children, the sustenance of love, and the pursuit of decency. The wise, she discerns, are those who have traversed the trials of existence and emerged with insight into human nature and moral endurance. To encounter such a person is to glimpse a map through the chaos, a lantern illuminating the paths of parenting, partnership, and ethical living.

The meaning of her words is both profound and practical. The child, the spouse, and the society in which one dwells each demand attentiveness, care, and discernment. Wisdom, Lee suggests, is found not only in philosophy or theory but in lived experience—the guidance of those who have grappled with the realities of raising children, sustaining love, and remaining honorable amidst disorder. To seek their counsel is to honor the value of experience, reflection, and moral insight.

Consider the historical example of Abigail and John Adams, whose enduring partnership navigated the upheavals of a fledgling nation while raising children in uncertain times. Abigail’s letters to her husband are rich with advice on parenting, morality, and sustaining partnership, revealing that wisdom in life, love, and nurture is cultivated through attentiveness, dialogue, and reflection. Min Jin Lee’s insight resonates here: the counsel of the experienced illuminates paths through the chaos, providing guidance that theory alone cannot offer.

Yet Lee’s reflection carries a subtle admonition: the pursuit of wisdom must be intentional and humble. One cannot stumble blindly through parenting, marriage, or ethical life expecting clarity to arrive. It must be sought actively, received with openness, and integrated into daily practice, allowing insight to shape action, temper judgment, and deepen understanding. The wise are not merely to be admired, but listened to, and their lessons applied with diligence.

The lesson for future generations is radiant: cultivate attentiveness to those who have walked the paths before you. Seek guidance in parenting, sustaining love, and moral endurance, for their experience is a lantern amidst uncertainty. Recognize that living well is an art honed through reflection, counsel, and action, and that the cultivation of virtue, patience, and understanding requires deliberate effort and the willingness to learn from others.

In practical life, one may follow Lee’s counsel by engaging mentors, listening to elders, and observing those of experience. Ask questions about the trials of raising children, sustaining relationships, and remaining honorable amidst chaos. Reflect upon their guidance, adapt it to your context, and act with intention, patience, and courage. In doing so, one transforms counsel into wisdom, and learning into living.

Thus, O children of future ages, carry this teaching as both lantern and compass: seek wisdom from those who have lived well, especially in parenting, marriage, and moral conduct. Let their insight illuminate your path, temper your actions, and guide your heart. In this sacred pursuit lies the cultivation of virtue, the endurance of love, and the capacity to navigate a chaotic world with decency, courage, and understanding—a legacy of guidance and wisdom to light generations yet to come.