September 10, 2025
Every day I like to take a moment to pause, reflect, and share both a Thought of the Day and a Question of the Day. Today’s pair might not seem connected at first, but stay with me,there’s a thread of honesty (and maybe a little humor) that runs through both. Let’s dive in.
Thought of the Day: You Can’t Outsource Wisdom
We live in a world where you can outsource just about anything. Don’t want to cook? DoorDash will show up at your door. Don’t want to mow the lawn? Someone on TaskRabbit is ready to fire up their weed whacker. Don’t want to remember your cousin’s birthday? Facebook’s got you.
But wisdom? That’s not a gig you can farm out to the lowest bidder. You can borrow advice, copy a strategy, or even lean on a mentor, but at the end of the day wisdom only sticks if you’ve actually lived through something yourself.
Think about the last time someone gave you advice you knew was right but didn’t act on. Maybe they told you to put sunscreen on your face every day (I’m looking at you, crow’s feet). Or to never buy a car on impulse. Or to wait a day before sending that angry email. All wise advice, but if you didn’t learn it the hard way, it probably didn’t sink in.
I’ve been guilty of trying to take shortcuts with wisdom. I’ll read a book, highlight all the lines that sound smart, and feel like I’m suddenly ten years wiser. Then life throws me something unexpected, like my kids asking me a question that makes me feel dumber than a bag of rocks, and I realize I’ve still got to earn wisdom the old-fashioned way: through experience.
And maybe that’s the point. Wisdom isn’t about having the right answers, it’s about carrying the weight of what it cost you to get them. You can’t outsource that.
If this resonates, you might also like my reflection on the life lessons that keep getting repeated.
Question of the Day: What Accent Is Most Annoying?
Okay, shifting gears from profound to playful. Today’s Question of the Day: What accent is most annoying?
Now, I know this could get me in trouble, so let me start by saying: accents are beautiful. They’re part of culture, identity, and storytelling. That said, when you can’t understand a word being said, even the most charming accent can feel like nails on a chalkboard.
For me? Cajun accents take the cake. Half the time I feel like I need subtitles.
It’s like when you’re watching a movie and the actor goes full method with an accent so thick you’re googling “what did he just say” right after the scene. Beautiful, authentic, and… frustrating.
Of course, accents can also be endearing. A Scottish lilt can make even bad news sound like a lullaby. A New York accent has attitude baked into every syllable. And let’s be honest, a British accent can make you sound smarter even if you’re reading the back of a cereal box.
So maybe the better question isn’t “Which accent is annoying?” but “Which ones do you wish you had?” I wouldn’t mind if my kids thought I sounded like James Earl Jones when I said “Clean your room.” Or maybe Morgan Freeman. That’s wisdom outsourcing I could get behind.
Speaking of voices, check out my post on the strange things we overheard in public.
Bringing It Together
So what’s the thread between today’s Thought of the Day and Question of the Day? Maybe it’s this: life is full of things we can’t fully explain or pass off to someone else. Wisdom has to be earned. Accents—annoying or not—have to be listened to.
And in both cases, patience is key. Patience with ourselves as we learn, and patience with others as they speak in ways we might not immediately understand.
Join the Conversation
I’d love to hear from you:
- What wisdom have you learned the hard way?
- And what accent drives you up the wall—or makes you smile every time you hear it?
Drop a comment below, or better yet, join my daily email where I share a fresh Thought of the Day and Question of the Day to spark reflection and conversation. Sign up here.