When We Allow Our Curiosity Free Reign, We Learn More

Tue, 21 Jun 2011 17:54:23 GMT

Hello, Everybody!

Recently, I signed up with SoulNeeds, which describes itself as "the conscious social network." I'm not particularly active on there (no surprise, there, huh?), but I do enjoy receiving their email newsletter, "The Daily SoulFeed."

Today's newsletter started with the following:

To be the best in anything you have to be curious about everything and take nothing for granted.

Einstein, one of the greatest minds of the last century described himself as "neither especially clever nor especially gifted." Then he added, "I am only very, very curious."

Be eager to learn. Be fascinated by the strange passions of human beings. Always ask questions. Be in pursuit of the strange and unusual. Discover and explore always!

As someone who has always enjoyed learning—even when I didn't enjoy school, which was the usual case while I was in elementary school, and all too often in high school—I can really appreciate this sentiment. My curiosity has even been noticed by my coworkers, here at the Learning Center. When I shared today's message with them, one of the other tutors commented on my willingness to find out more about anything that comes up that is new to me. As a tutor, it's really great to know that I am modeling this behavior for the students I work with.

I believe this is also a quality usually found in good writers. Certainly, many of my writer-friends have discussed the lure of research, which may, if not held in check, take them on paths that wander far from the intended goal. When time is precious, and when isn't it, we may feel that we are being self-indulgent in taking wandering research trips. Perhaps this is so, in the short term, but over the length of our lives, I believe that much of what we gain from these unplanned journeys into knowledge will prove to be serendipitous in ways we might never guess, beforehand.

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Quote of the Day

Thu, 28 Apr 2011 21:46:45 GMT

I'm at the Learning Center, between students, and getting ready to brush up on my algebra skills (I've started helping students with math, as well as writing), and I came across the following quote in an algebra text:

Unless you try to do something beyond what you have already mastered, you will never grow.

I love the quote, but must acknowledge that there's a bit of irony in my use today, since I'm attempting to remaster something I had previously mastered, but have since forgotten.

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Call Me a Dreamer

When We Allow Our Curiosity Free Reign, We Learn More

Quote of the Day