Some of the greatest challenges and conflicts we face as individuals and as a global community are the result of a narrow world view. How can we solve problems if we can’t see them? How do we recognize our own ignorance if we are not aware of it? How do we grow when we live in a small space?
It’s been years since I first discovered this quote on the frog in a well. I believe it simply illustrates the power of a broader perspective while providing subtle encouragement to reach “the surface:”
We think too small, like the frog at the bottom of the well. He thinks the sky is only as big as the top of the well. If he surfaced, he would have an entirely different view.
Quote attributed to Mao Tse-Tung
For me, the key phrase is “He thinks.” This tells me that the frog is not aware that there is much more to reality than he knows. Wisdom is the awareness of one’s own ignorance.
