What Does Being Smart Really Mean?

What Does Being Smart Really Mean?

We all have some smarts inside of us.
Aly Kruger
Aly Kruger Aug 31, 2016
148
views

Welcome to college. You see the new kids here; you see the seniors arriving for the last time, and it hits you how fast time really does move. In just years or months, you’ll be moving on to the next chapter, whatever that might be. And now I’m just beginning to realize that I actually don’t know anything.

I’m not saying that to be ironic or funny or to copy that guy who said only the very wise people would admit that they don’t know anything. I honestly don’t.

Everything in life is judged by how well we do something. Great, I get it, though, you know, the more you know the better. But some people know more about some things than other people, and that’s fine.

My point is that knowledge is really relative. Someone from Harvard is smarter than someone from U Michigan or something. But that’s stupid. What does being “smart” mean anyway? We are all better at something than someone else is. That’s the way of the world for you.

Some people are street smart. I’m not; I can know to cross the street when I see the little walking figure guy. I know to walk away from a potential mugger or thief who might have ill intentions. I know to be careful at night. But I have no idea what stores to go into, what mode of self-defense I’m supposed to use, or what way I’m supposed to defend myself with if I need to when I’m in the big city. I need someone who knows the area with me.

Some people can play an instrument, or two, or five. Me, nope. I love the radio; I can sing to it for hours. I love Taylor Swift, NEEDTOBREATHE and Steve Tusi, but that doesn’t make me a musician or someone who knows anything about music. I think music is a beautiful thing. It’s a way to express emotion and feeling when you can’t with words or motion. And that’s a beautiful thing. I could never do that. I am not smart enough. But I appreciate those who can. They are smart enough.

There are people who are people smart. Those people can make friends better than I ever could. They know people and know how to read them and learn from them, and they become better people than they were before that interaction. They know when someone is having a bad day or is about to have a nervous breakdown over a test that is going to be horrible. They are smart with people like that.

There are countless others; people who are good at communicating, politics, small talk, being friendly all the time without any hesitation. There are so many people who are smart in ways that could never be measured by an IQ test or a letter at the top of a paper.

The most important thing, though, beyond any other scale of intelligence, is living well. Ya gotta live smart, kid. Here’s why.

The most important way to be smart is in God. If you are smart in God, then you are smart in everything. And I don’t mean Bible-facts smart, even though that’s important to understanding and knowing God and who He is. No. I mean knowing Him by loving Him and keeping His commandments. Honoring your parents. Not telling lies. Being a good friend. All of that is living smart and being a good, wonderful person by living in God Himself. That means more to your level of “smart” far more than any GPA, letter or score could ever tell you. Scores, numbers, letters, weighted averages, all those things are man-made and not of God.

God does not call us to be successful. He calls us to be faithful. And if we do that, I think we’re pretty smart.

So next time you’re tempted to say “she’s not smart” or “I’m not as smart as he is,” remember that being smart is relative. Remember that everyone knows something about something. Learn from knowing that, and that truly makes you smart.

Now go be smart.

Cover Image Credit: Reférencement Suisse
Aly Kruger
Aly Kruger Aug 31, 2016
At Grove City College

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8 Reasons Why My Dad Is the Most Important Man In My Life

Forever my number one guy.
Sydney Kofron
Sydney Kofron Mar 29, 2016
65662
views

Growing up, there's been one consistent man I can always count on, my father. In any aspect of my life, my dad has always been there, showing me unconditional love and respect every day. No matter what, I know that my dad will always be the most important man in my life for many reasons.

1. He has always been there.

Literally. From the day I was born until today, I have never not been able to count on my dad to be there for me, uplift me and be the best dad he can be.

2. He learned to adapt and suffer through girly trends to make me happy.

I'm sure when my dad was younger and pictured his future, he didn't think about the Barbie pretend pageants, dressing up as a princess, perfecting my pigtails and enduring other countless girly events. My dad never turned me down when I wanted to play a game, no matter what and was always willing to help me pick out cute outfits and do my hair before preschool.

3. He sends the cutest texts.

Random text messages since I have gotten my own cell phone have always come my way from my dad. Those randoms "I love you so much" and "I am so proud of you" never fail to make me smile, and I can always count on my dad for an adorable text message when I'm feeling down.

4. He taught me how to be brave.

When I needed to learn how to swim, he threw me in the pool. When I needed to learn how to ride a bike, he went alongside me and made sure I didn't fall too badly. When I needed to learn how to drive, he was there next to me, making sure I didn't crash.

5. He encourages me to best the best I can be.

My dad sees the best in me, no matter how much I fail. He's always there to support me and turn my failures into successes. He can sit on the phone with me for hours, talking future career stuff and listening to me lay out my future plans and goals. He wants the absolute best for me, and no is never an option, he is always willing to do whatever it takes to get me where I need to be.

6. He gets sentimental way too often, but it's cute.

Whether you're sitting down at the kitchen table, reminiscing about your childhood, or that one song comes on that your dad insists you will dance to together on your wedding day, your dad's emotions often come out in the cutest possible way, forever reminding you how loved you are.


7. He supports you, emotionally and financially.

Need to vent about a guy in your life that isn't treating you well? My dad is there. Need some extra cash to help fund spring break? He's there for that, too.

8. He shows me how I should be treated.

Yes, my dad treats me like a princess, and I don't expect every guy I meet to wait on me hand and foot, but I do expect respect, and that's exactly what my dad showed I deserve. From the way he loves, admires, and respects me, he shows me that there are guys out there who will one day come along and treat me like that. My dad always advises me to not put up with less than I deserve and assures me that the right guy will come along one day.

For these reasons and more, my dad will forever be my No. 1 man. I love you!

Sydney Kofron
Sydney Kofron Mar 29, 2016
At University of Arizona

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An Incurable Disease Doesn't Change The Love I Have For You

Because one day the one you love the most is fine and the next day they're not, it causes devastation you never truly recover from.

nadoty
nadoty Apr 18, 2019
481
views

Loving someone with an incurable disease is the most emotionally straining thing I have ever experienced.

My significant other and I have been together for almost six years. During the summer of 2018, we all noticed the significant changes he was going through. He had lost around fifty pounds and had a lack of appetite. We had figured something was going on, however, we didn't realize it was anything serious.

Fast forward to the Fall semester of 2018. I had visited my boyfriend and we had expressed certain concerns, such as, through the night I would try and get him to stop uncontrollably itching his legs to the point of bleeding, or that he was looking a little yellow and was exhausted all the time. After seeing his sister in November, while I was at school, she pleaded with him to go to urgent care because he did not look good. He was yellow, exhausted, and very sickly looking. We didn't realize that the urgent care visit would be the precedent of the rest of our lives.

After coming home for Thanksgiving and spending a week straight in the hospital with him, it finally set in that something was not right. Between all the vomit, getting moved for testing, the weakness, the constant calling for medications because the pain was so severe, and the almost month-long stay in the hospital, it hit me full force that something was really wrong. Words will never truly describe the emotions I was feeling, or the burden of my thoughts that I felt were too selfish to pass on anyone, so I kept them to myself.

When we finally got the diagnosis, we were surprised. PSC, otherwise known as Primary Sclerosing Cholangitis, is an incurable liver disease that affects the bile ducts which become scarred and inflamed, more likely than not lead to cirrhosis and an inevitable transplant. There was no cure, rather the only solution was a liver transplant, and even then the disease can be recurring.

I was thinking selfishly. I was torn in two. What would our future look like? Could we have children? Could we ever do the things we used to?

Loving someone with an incurable disease is a mix of emotions. There is a constant fear in the back of my mind that he is going to wake up in intense pain and have to be rushed to the hospital. There is a constant fear of every time waiting for the bi-weekly blood test results to come back, in fear that his Bilirubin spiked again or he is undergoing a flare up and needs to be hospitalized. There is a constant anxiety that one day he's going to be fine, and the next day he won't be. Even the simple things, such as laying beside one another, was a constant fear I had, due to the pain he was in every day. What if I hit him in my sleep on accident? What if I accidentally hugged a little too tightly and caused him pain?

Loving someone with an incurable disease can be a fluctuation of emotions, however, he makes it worth it.

nadoty
nadoty Apr 18, 2019
At Ball State University

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