life as poems 'n letters

I don’t usually post two articles a week.
But I suddenly remembered this moment from philosophy class—13 years ago—and it hasn’t left me since.

Back then, I didn’t even like the subject. I preferred science—clear terms, solid logic, things you could explain and prove. Philosophy felt like floating in uncertainty.

Still, I had to report on Immanuel Kant. I don’t remember most of what I said. I just remember trying to get through it without sounding lost.

Then, as I wrapped up my report, I said:

“Knowing what you don’t know.”

And the class laughed.

I stood there, frozen. Confused. Embarrassed. I hadn’t meant it as a joke. I didn’t even know why they were laughing.

Then my professor stepped in.

She paused, looked at everyone, and calmly said:

“The only true wisdom is in knowing you know nothing.”
A quote—not from Kant, but from Socrates.

She said it slowly. Twice. Like she wanted everyone to really hear it.

I hadn’t quoted Socrates word for word. I didn’t even know I was echoing him. But I had somehow stumbled into a core truth that philosophy has wrestled with for centuries. And instead of being ridiculed, my professor gently rescued that moment and gave it meaning.

It taught me something I still believe today:

People often laugh at what they don’t understand.
We react when we should reflect.
We mock what makes us uncomfortable.
But that doesn’t mean it isn’t true.

That moment stuck.

I didn’t fall in love with philosophy that day but it pushed me to understand how important it is and later on , I discovered Stoicism. It didn’t ask me to sound smart. It asked me to think clearly. To stay grounded. To focus on what I could control and let go of the rest.

That awkward moment in class?
It taught me something I still carry today:

Wisdom doesn’t always arrive in the perfect package.
Sometimes it shows up by accident—when you’re nervous, unsure, and just trying your best.
And sometimes, you don’t realize how right you were… until someone else names it for you.