Thursday, August 09, 2018
I Like Sometimes To Reflect On Things I Have Learned
By: Donovan Baldwin
I like sometimes to reflect on things I have learned over the last 73 years simply by being around long enough to learn them.
See?
That's part of the learning process, whether it's in elementary school, university, a career, or even life.
Learning, not just a simple skill, such as threading a needle, but, a range of "tasks" or skills which make up a larger whole... takes time... and effort... but, that's another discussion.
To my mind, and in my experience, every day is a day in class.
Just as a student of mathematics, physics, literature, biology, zoology, all the -ologies is NOT finished until "the end", and, either all is learned, or the student is no longer capable of learning... so it is with life.
Learning doesn't end with today's "class". It starts with tomorrow, and, making final judgments based on our, so far, incomplete curriculum is a bit rash.
You may learn something tomorrow, next week, next year, next decade, which makes you understand and appreciate all the "learning" which went before, often with it's aches and pains and efforts and successes and (apparent) failures.
Whatever you're learning... give it time.
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I like sometimes to reflect on things I have learned over the last 73 years simply by being around long enough to learn them.
See?
That's part of the learning process, whether it's in elementary school, university, a career, or even life.
Learning, not just a simple skill, such as threading a needle, but, a range of "tasks" or skills which make up a larger whole... takes time... and effort... but, that's another discussion.
To my mind, and in my experience, every day is a day in class.
Just as a student of mathematics, physics, literature, biology, zoology, all the -ologies is NOT finished until "the end", and, either all is learned, or the student is no longer capable of learning... so it is with life.
Learning doesn't end with today's "class". It starts with tomorrow, and, making final judgments based on our, so far, incomplete curriculum is a bit rash.
You may learn something tomorrow, next week, next year, next decade, which makes you understand and appreciate all the "learning" which went before, often with it's aches and pains and efforts and successes and (apparent) failures.
Whatever you're learning... give it time.
FOLLOW ME ON TWITTER
Labels: donovan baldwin, failure, learning, life lesson, time, tomorrow
Friday, September 08, 2017
Learning And Sharing Never End
By: Donovan Baldwin
When I was a child, I assumed that someday, LEARNING would be done.
I hated learning stuff, at least the stuff I didn't WANT to learn.
You know how this story ends.
I never stopped learning. I suppose, even at the moment of death, I'll be "learning" what that experience is like. Pity I won't be able to share it in my musings.
These thoughts on learning come to you today, because, yesterday, while on errands, and reading poetry for free in a bookstore (Half Price Books store in Arlington, TX), I was thinking.
It's what I do. I read some pages in a book...learned a little about love. Shared witty repartee with a dear friend, and learned a little about our relationship, and my feelings (all good).
Outside the bookstore, I saw a fountain with galloping horses, and learned, perhaps re-learned, how deep is my enjoyment for art, animals, blue skies, and that same bookstore, which recently has assumed a greater meaning in my life.
As all this happened, I learned, or, perhaps, re-learned, an old lesson.
I have never stopped learning. With even the tiniest things I see, or think about, or experience, I am learning.
At one point, yesterday, I was driving through Arlington, Texas, ticking off the ideas, impressions, and things I was learning, and wanted to share with you lucky people.
Fun.
Life.
Don't stop learning...and sharing.
When I was a child, I assumed that someday, LEARNING would be done.
I hated learning stuff, at least the stuff I didn't WANT to learn.
You know how this story ends.
I never stopped learning. I suppose, even at the moment of death, I'll be "learning" what that experience is like. Pity I won't be able to share it in my musings.
It's what I do. I read some pages in a book...learned a little about love. Shared witty repartee with a dear friend, and learned a little about our relationship, and my feelings (all good).
Outside the bookstore, I saw a fountain with galloping horses, and learned, perhaps re-learned, how deep is my enjoyment for art, animals, blue skies, and that same bookstore, which recently has assumed a greater meaning in my life.
As all this happened, I learned, or, perhaps, re-learned, an old lesson.
I have never stopped learning. With even the tiniest things I see, or think about, or experience, I am learning.
At one point, yesterday, I was driving through Arlington, Texas, ticking off the ideas, impressions, and things I was learning, and wanted to share with you lucky people.
Fun.
Life.
Don't stop learning...and sharing.
Labels: Arlington, donovan baldwin, half price books, learning, sharing, texas
Saturday, June 03, 2017
We Start Off In Life...
By Donovan Baldwin
We start off in life not really knowing anything. For the first few years, we depend on parents, family, the people around us, to provide the framework in which we see life, relationships, people, even the future.
Over time, we come to have our own thoughts and make our own decisions...we think.
We learn from our experiences, and, vicariously, from the experiences of others, as we go.
Usually, still keeping some sort of basic framework, we begin to modify our beliefs...about life, ourselves, and others. They say that some of the "best" lessons are based in pain. Maybe those are the ones we remember more strongly.
To me, it sometimes seems easy to forget kindness and gentleness, but harder to forget pain, shame, discomfort...stuff like that. That's how it was/is with me. If I am kind, it's because others have been unkind, and I remember the pain. If I disregard a rule, it's possibly because sticking to that rule has caused needless pain in the past.
So, when I see someone act outside of what I, or society, considers "proper" or "right" behavior, I wonder if, perhaps they were hurt in the past. I know that having a "reason" for doing something doesn't make it right, but, hating someone, including yourself, for what you, or they, were trained by life to be, is something I ask myself about.
Over time, we come to have our own thoughts and make our own decisions...we think.
We learn from our experiences, and, vicariously, from the experiences of others, as we go.
Usually, still keeping some sort of basic framework, we begin to modify our beliefs...about life, ourselves, and others. They say that some of the "best" lessons are based in pain. Maybe those are the ones we remember more strongly.
To me, it sometimes seems easy to forget kindness and gentleness, but harder to forget pain, shame, discomfort...stuff like that. That's how it was/is with me. If I am kind, it's because others have been unkind, and I remember the pain. If I disregard a rule, it's possibly because sticking to that rule has caused needless pain in the past.
So, when I see someone act outside of what I, or society, considers "proper" or "right" behavior, I wonder if, perhaps they were hurt in the past. I know that having a "reason" for doing something doesn't make it right, but, hating someone, including yourself, for what you, or they, were trained by life to be, is something I ask myself about.
Labels: article by Donovan Baldwin, donovan baldwin, hate, hatred, learning, life lessons
