Staying hungry for life

After reading through my blog, you will see frequent references to Neil deGrasse Tyson, astrophysicist, planetary scientist, author, and science communicator. It’s not only for his exemplary presentations, his affable qualities, or his vast knowledge of the universe, but for the way he entices you to be all that you can be. The way he inspires you to explore your surroundings, and to keep learning no matter the circumstances.

“Be ashamed to die until you have scored some victory for humanity.” Neil’s desire for his epitaph

My husband would get a big kick out of me, sitting on the couch, with a thick textbook nestled in my lap. “What are you learning now?” Maybe it was learning new skills to create a comprehensive database or how to setup a Windows server. Let’s just say, I love learning. I’m like a Venus Flytrap – feed me!

You’ll often hear me say, “I’m the eternal student” (it’s also part of my email signature). I’ve felt that way since I was a young child, and I still feel that way decades later, and I try to instill that sense of wonder and yearning in others. I believe that it’s never too late. And it doesn’t necessarily mean, a way to get ahead in your job, but simply out of the true sense of wonderment. We should always be filled with insatiable curiosity about everything around us, and I’ve often relayed the following story to people in my life.

Two life-long friends meet for dinner and drinks. In the course of the evening, Taylor informs his buddy of a new decision.
“Paul, I’ve decided to go back to school and become an engineer.”
“What? Do you realize that by the time you graduate, you’ll be forty-two!”
Shaking his head, grinning, Paul remarks, “Ah, Taylor, but I’ll still be forty-two, even if I don’t.”

My advice? Don’t be afraid to explore something new, because it may just set you off on a new adventure! Stay thirsty my friends.