The Wisdom Box Project
Judy
Ranieri is a Life and Legacy Coach. She created The
Wisdom Box... A Legacy of Love as
a communication tool for passing on our experiences, life lessons,
hopes, dreams, wisdom, and blessings to those we love.
The Wisdom Box holds the premise that we all have wisdom to share,
no matter our age or life experiences. Treasures in the wisdom box
can be tangible—family recipes, good luck charms, photos, a
ticket stub to a special event, souvenirs from favorite places. They
can also be intangible answers to thought-provoking questions that
stimulate deeper reflection and creative insight. Questions might
be simple such as, “Was there a quotation, a family saying
or a piece of advice that you grew up with that got you through the
difficult times?” or “What is something that you wish
an elder had shared with you?” In any case the wisdom box
is a unique gift of love for the recipient and a validation of one’s
life for the giver.
Judy made the first Wisdom Box while she was anticipating the birth
of her first grandchild (Sofia Alessandra). She was a student enrolled
in a master’s program in spiritual studies at Holy Names University
in Oakland, California. The class had been exploring mortality
and deep questions such as, what legacy would each of us like to
leave when we die? She began to wonder what would happen if she died
before her granddaughter was born.
What would her granddaughter miss if she didn’t have a relationship with her grandmother? This led to other questions. What did she want her grandchildren to know about her? What could she offer them in this fast-changing world that would give them a sense of where they fit in? Judy concluded that while things change all around us, some things remain the same, like love, compassion, and openness. So she wrote notes and letters to her granddaughter and put them in the box:
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It’s what’s on the inside that matters most.
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Treating people with everyday kindness –the Golden Rule – will serve you well.
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Discover your personal truths. Embrace them, and don’t be afraid to speak them out loud.
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Know where you are coming from – love or fear. And listen to others so that you will hear if they are coming from love or fear.
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In the end, that’s what it all about – loving and being loved.
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On a global level, the focus of the world should be on our sameness and respect for our differences. It’s not about “we” and “they.” It’s about us, all of us. It’s about showing more compassion and making room in our hearts and minds that peace is possible and that it doesn’t have to come at the expense of destroying others. It’s about respect for all.
As part of her master’s thesis, Judy did a presentation to her class and showed them her box, which was papered on the outside with sepia-toned images of shamans. Alongside the notes and letters expressing her love for her granddaughter and the things that were important to her, Judy had also placed an image of her granddaughter’s sonogram. To Judy’s eye, the smudgy black and white image resembled a starry sky. This reminded her of the many surprises life reveals to us as it unfolds. Struck with a sense of awe, Judy decided the box needed a dash of the magical. So she enclosed a brightly colored Mickey Mouse doll.
She called this first box, “Grandmother’s Wisdom Box,” and showed it to her class. Their response was immediate. Many of her classmates wanted to create their own wisdom boxes to pass on their love not only to children and grandchildren, but also to nieces, nephews, spouses, and dearly loved friends.
Four years have passed since Judy created the first Wisdom Box. Since then she has taught numerous workshops in many settings, including in hospitals for terminally ill children and their parents.
Reflecting on her relationship with her granddaughter, Judy remarked, “Today, I hear Sofia repeat expressions my grandmother used and it warms my heart. Four years later and a second grandchild (Nico Sante), my passion for communication between generations is stronger than ever.”
Since Judy created the first Wisdom Box, she has taught numerous workshops in many settings, including in hospitals for terminally ill children and their parents. She discovered that creating The Wisdom Box helps people with unfinished business. It is often transformative, because the box becomes the collage of a life. All of us have pieces of our lives that we don’t know what to do with. The Wisdom Box is a way to keep them.
While The Wisdom Box was very personal – intended to pass wisdom and love from one person to another – many women had wisdom they wanted to share with the world at large. It was clear that the world needed more of the feminine voice. The question became, “How do you bring women’s wisdom to a larger audience?” Judy’s search for an answer led to The Notebook Project.