Ever Learning

Life is a journey, and everyone approaches that journey in his or her own way.  I have seen people let time pass, and I have seen others grab hold of every opportunity.  I think I most admire those who approach life as if it were their own private university.

My great-grandmother lived to the age of 100, but her mind was active and alert up to the end, even after her body betrayed her.  She was always reading and learning, eager for any tidbit that might come her way.  At one time my brother went to Switzerland and Germany for an extended period of time.  Our great-grandmother charged him with learning to yodel so he could come back and teach her how to do it.

Two days ago (when, yes, I know I normally would have blogged, but didn't) I interviewed a local chef, who has gained national renown.  It was pleasant to hear about his history, what he did when.  But I was more interested, not in the stops along the way, but by how he approached those stops.  Part way through the interview, with various questions, I finally got him to move away from reciting his life to talking to me about his life.  I found out how he learns, how he develops, what he thinks.  I was learning about how he learns.  That was fascinating.

I spent the afternoon of that same day doing some hands-on research for my next book.  It was a lot of information to take in all at once, but as I go over more and more iterations of the same kind of thing, I'll understand it, and then I hope to convey what I have learned to my readers through one of my characters.  It was equally fascinating, but in a different way.

I don't know what kind of journey you are on, but I can tell you that I love being a constant learner.  The world is always fresh and new.  It is wonderful and mysterious, always whispering to you to ask, to learn, to grow, and then to ask again.