Commentary by Lorene Burkhart
Being curious involves intentional thoughts or actions to discover or learn something.
Curiosity starts as early as age 2, when little tykes begin to point at an object and want to know what it is. When they hear the word, they repeat it and pronto, they have a new word in their vocabulary. As we age, our curiosity may begin to decline. It’s just easier to let the world bypass us. Folks often let the past be their future by dwelling on their earlier lives but not adding new events.
Curious people are often creative. Seeing something new sparks their imagination to create a new design, writing or program.
When I had a desk job, I complained that my desktop was not inspirational. I wanted to be in the marketplace or near where new ideas were happening. Clients for the ad agency where I worked would sometimes send me out to interview customers to determine why they chose one location for shopping over another. This information was helpful in planning new store locations or in their advertising.
Seeking out situations where you can feed your curiosity are essential to maintaining an agile mind. Visiting museums, new stores or restaurants, exploring other towns, attending lectures all can keep the creative juices flowing. I discovered that visiting the Pioneer Village at the Indiana State Fair was a great way to connect the old and the new. At my age, 89, some of the old had been a part of my early years on the farm. I even recognized the salt and pepper shakers on the oilcloth topping the table in the old-fashioned threshing kitchen. But a stroll around the grounds showed the newest in farm equipment, with computer technology providing information while in the field. Amazing! The price was also amazing.
If you are concerned that you are losing your curiosity, you don’t even need to leave your easy chair. Just plug into whatever technology device you have, smart phone, IPad, computer and stroll around. If you have a Kindle you can read any book without going to the library or bookstore. There is no excuse for getting into a rut. Life is more interesting when you join into the world around you.
