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The Shoreline of Wonder
All human beings, by nature, desire to learn.
~ Aristotle
 Midsummer Eve by Edward Robert Hughes |
To often, after we have left our formal education, we neglect this portion of ourselves. Henry Ford, in commenting upon this tendency, stated, "Anyone who stops learning is old, whether at twenty or eighty. Anyone who keeps learning stays young. The greatest thing in life is to keep your mind young."
As this millennium draws to an end, we are privileged to see great strides in scientific discoveries concerning the functioning of the mind and the creative endeavors therein. These discoveries force us to view ourselves and our world in new ways. Alvin Toffler recognized this when he wrote, in The Third Wave, "The illiterate of the year 2000 will not be the individual who cannot read and write, but the one who cannot learn, unlearn, and relearn."
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In Peak Learning, Ronald Gross wrote, "What is a peak learner? It is someone who has learned how to learn, in the fullest sense of the word...This type of learning springs from within them: it is self-education. Whether sparked by joy or driven by need, it expresses who they want to become, what they want to be able to do, or to know about...As they wander along the shoreline of wonder--the boundary between what they know and the vast sea of things they could know--they feel exhilarated by the prospect of constantly learning new things. They know that there are always things to know more about, to appreciate more deeply, or to learn to do. Because they are not afraid of their own ignorance, such learners aren't afraid to ask dumb questions or admit they don't understand something the first time it's explained...When you think of the people you most admire, or of yourself at your best, it is easy to recognize that this sort of learning is a major part of the good life."
Marilyn Ferguson, Body Mind, expresses it this way. "There is a learner within you, able and confident, waiting to function freely, usefully and joyfully...Cultivate your faith in yourself as a learner. Research shows that adults are better learners than children, if they have the patience to be beginners."
Freely, usefully, joyfully. Isn't this how we want to perceive all of life? Success comes from such experiences. The successful mother, daughter, career woman, wife all share the same elation brought about by creative learning. Moondance salutes you, who are the seekers and the creators. May you find success and enjoy the path of learning which takes you there.
