You can't be serious.......

I can, but admittedly not very often.

Watching the early football game as it snowed... and then the second one - cold there as well... my eyeballs tired easily and I went to bed very early.  I know, I know, "Who cares?". .Well, I do, because then I awaken hella early.

As in, it was too early to peruse the E edition of today's paper... so, a trip around the horn (Daily Sudoku, Faebook, three cups of coffee) then, it allowed me to access today in the local paper.  Read the local Sports... .that's always first... usually then the obits... too early, carry on... OK then, to National Sports - catch up on the NFL late game....NOPE, too early for that.. so......

I read the parts that I've grown to hate reading...  Local, Regional, National and World News.  It was there I read a letter to the Editor - Oh man, them things can range from 'this person is off their rocker' to 'you know, that makes me stop and think, I'm glad I read that.'

A letter this morning made me stop and think, I'm glad I read that.'  You are absolutely free to turn left, hit that little X in the upper right hand corner - promise I won't get mad.

The letter was from a gentleman that's presently a nurse, attempting to get his doctorate at Duke University, traditionally known for it's academic excellence.  Paraphrasing, he has a lifetime of being a 'square peg in round hole'... smalltown raised, writing from Durham, NC... a male nurse in a profession mostly dominated by women.....

As such, he finds himself navigating spaces where he doesn't quite belong or fit the mold - yet, his in-betweenness has become a strength, not fully belonging anywhere - he belongs everywhere - and as such, he's gained a healthy dose of curiosity (Siskoombah, today's keyword.)

His claim, and I kinda found myself shaking my head "yeah, I kinda agree" is, we, as a society, lack genuine curiosity - which, the writer suggests may contribute to our growing division in this increasingly polarized world.

"Instant gratification" and "algorithmically curated echo chambers" (brb, looking that crap up).. point being, genuine curiosity is slipping away from us. We scroll, we skim and react in social media without pausing to ask "Why?" or "What's it like to be that person?"

"Curiosity, more than just a thirst for knowledge, serves as a bridge to understanding.  When we inquire about someone else's experiences - growing up in a different neighborhood, speaking a different language or living with a disability, we begin to perceive the world through their eyes. This act of wonder is the foundation for empathy."

Instead, we hop over it.  Certainty over inquiry, speed over depth,, choose sides rather than ask questions.  He suggests asking "Why" is a fear of offense or conflict, thus being trapped in our own perspectives and unable to envision lives beyond our own, Empathy doesn't emerge from agreement, it grows from exploration. To ask questions, not to challenge.  We listen, not to reply, but to learn.  Curiosity invites us to sit with complexity, to resist the urge to simplify, stereotype or dismiss. 

"We observe the transformative power of classrooms where children eagerly ask "Why" and in stories that open our hearts to unfamiliar truths."

His plan, start with our kids... remind ourselves that questions are not indicators of ignorance, but rather signs of engagement.  Questions are not conflict."  The writer admits "Curiosity may not be the sole solution to every problem, but it serves as a promising starting point."

Sorry this ain't been the normal Peter, Paul and Mary... Tom, Dick and Harry... Woke up, fell outta bed blog like normal.  His article kinda hit me.  Enjoyed it.

He closed with "We live in a time when anxiety, depression, and a myriad of other mental health ailments are prevalent in society. As a nurse, I aspire to facilitate healing in all its forms. A healthy dose of curiosity could significantly contribute to healing many of these societal afflictions and divisions we currently experience."

Thanks dude (Matthew Donegan)...

I like happy.

I like medium (even though, at present, I lean toward large...hehe)..

I like happy mediums.  I thought them hippies from the 60's, not necessarily in their rebellion, but, in their asking "Why?" had us on the right curiosity path,  A happy medium might be:

Somewhere between "My Way Or The Highway".... and "Hey teacher leave the kids alone".......

I'm curious... do you like pudding?  Er, I mean curiosity?

I do.

Love, Victurd