Spotting Gems

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I very much value knowledgeable people and the people full of resources. I never consider my day made if I haven’t met a new one. Whenever I happen to find one, I never let go of the opportunity to strike up a conversation with them, to learn something new, something which I don’t know. In order to make the most of them and whatever valuable they’ve in terms of knowledge, I ask for their phone numbers and every e-means to get and remain connected. What may aptly account for this type of behavior of mine is the saying of the Prophet of Islam to the effect that Knowledge or Wisdom is the lost property of a believer, let him claim it wherever he finds it. (الْكَلِمَةُ الْحِكْمَةُ ضَالَّةُ الْمُؤْمِنِ فَحَيْثُ وَجَدَهَا فَهُوَ أَحَقُّ بِهَا). The Urdu poet Haali has beautifully versified it this way:
 حکمت کو اک گم شدہ لعل سمجھو
جہاں پاو اپنا اسے مال سمجھو
The people of intellect and knowledge are no less than an asset, an invaluable one. To me a treasure that is to be exploited whenever it is found or dug out. I believe books are not always the sole source of wisdom. Sometimes it's desirable to travel people rather than pages. The latter are fixed, static, printed and dry, unable to answer the questions that may arise. The former are living, dynamic and capable of reciprocation. Knowledgeable people are living books. Let me call them 'Biped Books'. The books that breathe, walk, run, reason, question and answer.
Just as gems are rare and hard to find, so is this group because they belong to the few, a microscopic minority. They are more often than not overshadowed by the many, the conspicuous majority. As a caveat before you go about identifying them, do remember that the members of this small group may not always possess good looks and charismatic demeanor. So you must not judge by the appearance. Intellect and Knowledge have nothing to do with looks. The good-looking can be amongst the dumbest. And the ugly quite the opposite. Remember Socrates, that ugly Athenian in the room? So confuse not the outward beauty with the inward one. Good Riddance to that bias! Keep your eyes and ears open so as to spot diamonds and gold. Maybe still in their ores, shining but a little outwardly or not at all.


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