Wisdom stands at the turn in the road and calls upon us

Khalil Gibran, prophet of the heart and poet of the eternal, wrote with fire when he declared: “Wisdom stands at the turn in the road and calls upon us publicly, but we consider it false and despise its adherents.” Here he unveils one of the great tragedies of humankind—that wisdom, though never hidden, is often rejected. It waits for us at the crossroads, in moments of choice and turning, calling openly for those who would listen. Yet blinded by pride or comfort, men dismiss it, mocking those who follow its call.

The essence of this truth is that wisdom is not secret, nor confined to temples or scrolls. It is public, standing before us in every trial, every decision. But because its voice often contradicts our desires, we treat it as false. We call those who obey it foolish, for they refuse the easy road and choose the harder way of integrity. Thus the tragedy unfolds: the truth is before us, but we prefer illusion.

History cries aloud with examples. Consider the life of Socrates, who stood in the streets of Athens as wisdom itself, questioning, probing, urging men to seek truth above appearance. He was that voice at the turn in the road, calling publicly for men to awaken. Yet his city, angered by his message, condemned him to drink the hemlock. In despising him, they despised the very wisdom that might have saved them from decline.

So too with prophets and reformers across the ages. The abolitionists in America cried out against slavery, warning that no nation could long endure built upon chains. Their wisdom was mocked, their voices despised, and only through war and blood did the truth they proclaimed become undeniable. Once again, wisdom stood in the open, yet men rejected it until its price could no longer be ignored.

O children of tomorrow, let Gibran’s teaching pierce your hearts: when you hear a voice calling you toward justice, toward mercy, toward truth—do not despise it. For it is wisdom at the crossroads, offering a way forward before destruction comes. Do not mock its adherents, for they walk the path you will one day be forced to take. Remember always: wisdom does not whisper in hidden caves, it cries out at the turn of the road; and blessed is the one who heeds its call before it is too late.