One
gift I would give my children and those that come after is the gift of
curiosity. Have you noticed that children are endlessly curious about anything
and everything? They are constantly growing, not just physically but mentally.
Every single day brings something wonderful, something new. They set a good
example.
Life
can be a long haul for many of us and it’s hard not to be jaded, indifferent
and complacent. And if not one or all of those, at least boringly, increasingly
pragmatic. It’s perhaps good to be practical about paying bills, getting
groceries in the house and planning ahead when it affects well-being, but
otherwise, not so much.
There
are so many things I am curious about, so many things I want to know. For
example: the names of birds (I know, nerdy, right?) and what their individual
songs sound like; the work being done on the human genome by the Crispr and how
extraordinary the implications of that technology; the discoveries being made
of deep space; the very real possibility of self-healing, not to mention the
healing capabilities of others that we can’t yet explain. I could fill volumes
with what I wish I knew and understood.
I
recently spent some time with someone who believes they have all the answers
about everything. They are relatively young but very closed to new ideas.
Especially those ideas that challenge their opinions. I would laugh if it
wasn’t so sad. What a waste to not be open.
So
if there is wisdom here, it’s this: there is no excuse to ever be bored. No
excuse to close yourself off. If you are bored or closed off, there is
something else going on. We are all information seekers. Look at the phones
glued to our hands. They are splendid technology but there are other ways of
learning. Observe, converse, read books, go to lectures, listen to music, learn
a new language, watch a program about something you don’t understand.
Stay
curious. Always.
