As I get older (approaching 34 next month), I am amazed and appreciative of 'learning' more than ever. I enjoyed school when I was young, and excelled in almost all areas in the classroom- learning came easy to me in most subjects. Then something happened in my highschool classes, nothing terrible, and I got almost all A's and B's- even in my AP classes, but my heart wasn't into it as it had been during elementary and middle schools. My zest for 'new knowledge' was replaced with the attitude that I just had to 'get it done'.
That carried over into some of my college years...as well as the issue of not knowing exactly what I wanted to 'do or be' when I grew up. I struggled with not having clear direction or passion about one single subject. Except for English writing and lit...but those dreams were dashed early on by one of my professors (see previous post- Feb. 7, '06 archives about "One opinion can change your course").
Now here I am finding out more and more each day that learning makes me happy. It really does. I guess maybe I'm not such a 'book person' and that may have been part of the 'problem' with highschool and college. I am much more of a hands-on learner...the kind where I learn by doing or watching or listening to others. Don't get me wrong, I love a good book and am finding that there is a never-ending source of new thoughts and ideas in books...but the way I learn and grow most seems to be through actually experiencing or living out the process or idea. Just like the common phrase says, "Live and Learn."
I am so glad that this passion for learning and growing and changing has never left me, and in fact has continued to play a bigger role in my life. I am thankful that I am not the person I was a week ago, a year ago, or even ten years ago. I love the fact that new thoughts and ideas will always be out there for me to find, and that 'old' ideas can be kicked around and mulled over and help sharpen and shape who I will become.
I am happy and thankful today that I don't ever have to be content with who I am or how things are. For the rest of my life I have endless opportunities to grow, to learn and to become a better person. All the world is my classroom. And to think, there was a time in my life when I couldn't wait to be done with school. Now I am happy to know that I will never exhaust the possibility to learn new things- whether I'm inside of a school or out of it. I am thankful for unlimited opportunities for learning today and everyday. What a great reminder...and thank you to all the teachers out there who have ever helped me to learn new things or that pushed me- even when I may not have liked it at times. Teachers are really everyday heroes in my book. Thank you for what you do every single day!
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
3 comments:
I know exactly what you mean. ;)
I appreciate your thanks to teachers. I am a retired teacher, after 32 years in the classroom, and it is often a thankless job. I loved every minute of it and each kid I taught will always have a special place in my heart. They blessed my life in so many ways and if my health and stamina had lasted a little longer, I would still be in the classroom. I do volunteer one day a week and I passed this passion on to my daughter and I enjoy going to her classroom any chance I get. I am like you... I continue to learn and it is a blessing to enjoy the learning process. Thanks for sharing.
Great post. I had not read that previous post from February. I put a belated comment there that I think you would find encouraging.
Post a Comment