How do I learn?
That was my evening-sleep cogitation (which just means I was distilling my thoughts overnight, trying to figure this one out).
I started in a school atmosphere that taught the times table – memorized still to this day. By my high school graduation a change was happening. In some of our classes, we were sitting around distilling the truth by sharing our informed ignorance in teacher facilitated discussions.
My generation rebelled against a style of learning that was systematized and doctrinaire. We were free thinkers. We wanted life long learning that was propelled by our desires. We wanted daily learning that was driven by our feelings. We wanted to be the first person to learn something that no one else knew.
Now we have come to our senior years. And we realize that we have great holes in our learning. We realize that what we felt wasn’t always what was true. We realize that we have to build on others’ knowledge.
And we realize that we passed on the extremes of our search for truth to our children and grandchildren. Some days, I am saddened by our example.
A younger generation may miss the big truths of life, the guidance of others and the foundation of the ages.