A Little Enlightenment on "Well" Education

It is a Sunday evening.  I listen to spiritually uplifting video clips as I watercolor.  The old man in the clip affectionately refers to his wife as his "beautiful queen" who has always been by his side and supported his many endeavors.  Among her earthly qualities, he describes her as "well educated."  For whatever reason, at this phrase, I tune out the rest of his words in self-reflection.  I am suddenly, and probably unnecessarily, concerned with the implications of this phrase.  What does it mean to be "well educated" anyway?...

I turn to the family member nearest me and ask him blatantly if I am "well educated."  He pauses from the sentence in his novel and looks up at me confusedly, as though I just asked him to reveal the color of his underwear.  "I'm sorry, what?"  I repeat my direct, but loaded question.  "Yeah..." he says, not really knowing where I'm going with this, not wanting to incriminate himself with the wrong response.  We argue (not really argue, rather...banter) on the subject for a few minutes.  Just because you've had a lot of formal schooling does not necessarily mean you are well educated, true?  This is my opinion.  How is it that many bright minds cannot spell to save their souls (a real pet peeve of mine) and some college graduates can hardly remember basic math facts?  And if I am well educated, how do you classify the man I'm pelting with questions?  The PhD computer scientist, by the way.  So if I'm "well educated," what is he, like, "Supremely educated" or something?  I mean, how many gradients of "well educated" are there?

Clearly finished with this pointless conversation I can tell, I let him free.  Not off the hook for unsatisfying my query, but free for now.  Still, I, however, continue to muse on the matter.  I think of a scene in Pride and Prejudice where Elizabeth, Mr. Darcy, and Caroline Bingley discuss the meaning of truly "accomplished women."  An accomplished woman, Caroline declares, must be proficient in reading, dancing, drawing, "and the modern languages to deserve the word.  And something in her air and manner of walking..." (Yes is this a quote recited by heart...Are you "well educated" if you know P&P like you know your own sister's voice?).  Darcy agrees with Caroline, that the compliment is used rather liberally, while Lizzy bites back that he certainly must comprehend a great deal in the word "accomplished" and it's no wonder he only knows a handful, it's amazing he knows any truly accomplished (or may we substitute in this matter, well educated) women at all.  Oh, Miss Bennett, I love you.  I mean, who's to say what well educated and accomplished mean?  Aren't those pretty subjective descriptive words?  Akin to 'beauty is in the eye of the beholder,' perhaps?

I digress...  With this worry momentarily past me, thanks to Jane Austen and her brilliant heroines, I marvel, and stress out about, all the beautiful things I have yet to learn.  Think of the languages and the books I haven't tasted yet!  Ah, the cultures I haven't encountered and trials I haven't experienced.  I know little of science, but I can't help but awe at the scientific principles God must have used used to create this earth. . . and I know I will somehow learn them someday when I can create my own worlds and wonders.  Being well educated, I convince myself, is not about diplomas and marks and punctuation, it's not even really having a vast knowledge about everything.  It's the ability to think, to conclude, to reason, to wonder and question.  To make connections and inferences about your experiences and others', to self-regulate and ponder.  To create.  It is to use your brain to the full purpose it was meant to be used.  And to thirst for more.  To thirst, always, for more knowledge.  I guess, by this definition, I am well educated.  It is a sad world to those who aren't.