Perpetual Student

You would think when I completed my formal education, I would have stopped taking notes and scribbling interesting bits of information on any nearby paper I could get my hands on. Yet, alas...it is a habit that I have carried outside the classroom. Granted, usually it's for ideas for my two blogs and/or a potential article I have been "meaning to write."

Although sometimes the note taking is not for quite such a concrete purpose, but rather just to clarify my own random ramblings in my brain. Like many people, it helps me to remember things. This concept of my propensity for frequent note-taking came to mind today at a Weight Watchers meeting. A  fellow meeting attendee inquired, "You're taking notes?" I explained: "Yeah, I know it's weird...but it really helps to remember all the pointers and great ideas that are shared at meetings."
She seemed to think that made sense, or maybe she was just being polite, but it really doesn't worry me. That's just who I am...a journalist and a note taker. I don't trust my memory and it really does help to highlight what I view as important. I have even been known to jot notes on the church bulletin when a particular sermon has inspired me to pursue further discussion or reading. I have generated several blog topics that way...(Thanks Pastor Barry for your inspiration.) So I just keep on taking notes and hopefully keep on learning new things. One can never live long enough on this earth to know everything...there is always something new to learn.

So I keep writing, reading and learning as a perpetual student in a variety of areas of study. Of course I have my favorites, and I doubt I will ever go back to studying Algebra or Trigonometry....Argghhhh...scary thought!! Yet having the opportunity to always learn something new is a blessing.  Albert Einstein expressed this well by saying: "Wisdom is not a product of schooling but of the lifelong attempt to acquire it."

My mother is truly an inspiration to me. And to her grandchildren as well. She always finds something new to discuss and to learn about with other people: always ready to embark on new learning adventures.   She is a "newspaper article clipper" and has an uncanny knack for knowing just what the people in her life are interested in. Any article on the National Parks (one of my passions) always finds its way to me. One of my sons is a civil engineer living in Alaska and working to assist with reliable energy sources. You can bet Mom always finds energy development and Alaska articles for him. Well, you get the idea and the list goes on for her finding new information that affects the lives of those she loves. She obtained her undergrad and Masters degree quite some time ago....but the learning just keeps on going.

When I travel and have a brochure in hand, its funny that additional notes always end up on the side margins. I have little tid-bits of information that I know I will forget if I don't jot them down. I own several journals that I take such joy in filling up the pages. Some are used for story ideas, some just for the sheer joy of writing. I know we are still in the peak of summer...but the Back to School sales will be upon us soon. Every August (sometimes even late July) I delight in the crisp, white pages in the spiral notebooks and packets upon packets of pens and pencils. All waiting to be used.  My husband has to keep me away from those aisles in the store...I probably have enough journals, spiral notebooks and pens to last at least five or six years....I better get busy.          
                                                                                       Julie Etta Smith