*Note: For more information on the prompt that inspired this essay please click HERE
Curiosity: the desire to learn or know about anything. This is the definition according to Dictionary.com. Curiosity is a beautiful thing, contrary to the famous quotation “Curiosity killed the cat.” While it is true that sometimes curiosity can get us into trouble, I believe that a child’s curiosity is something to be valued and attended to. It is meaningful and impactful.
The picture I took shows my son looking up at something with a look of amusement. This photo encapsulates a child’s capacity for curiosity. With his eyes fixated away from the camera, we see just how curious this adorable guy is. It amazes me to witness my son’s wheels constantly turning because I realize just how powerful the mind of a child is.
Oftentimes people think that children are not that intelligent because they don’t understand the world the same way we do, because they are so impressionable. However, I believe that we should not underestimate the power of a child. Yes! Children, even as babies, are capable of far more than we give them credit for. They observe EVERYTHING that occurs in our crazy world—they take it all in without blinking an eye. How do they react to what they see? They laugh, furrow their eyebrows, leap in fear, smile…the list goes on. But let’s focus on the furrowing of their eyebrows. Children are skeptics! They are skeptics who are full of curiosity and will not stop until they are satisfied with an answer. That is the look that my son is giving. He is skeptically asking, “What is that?!?”
I believe that this picture captures the beauty of the mind. It’s amazing to me that human beings have the ability to question, to wonder and think. We often take for granted the fact that our mind is powerful, that the most prominent inventions of today stemmed from curiosity. For example, Steve Jobs was able to use his curiosity to innovate Apple, the company who distributes the most sold e-product today. Or how about Bill Gates, whose curiosity morphed into the creation of Microsoft and resulted in him being one of the wealthiest Americans today. Both of these men asked questions—“Why?” “How?”—and in turn developed life-changing inventions that impacted millions of people. We are all capable of leaving that type of imprint on the world. The key to doing that, however, is making our curiosity come to life.
I think it best if we take Albert Einstein’s advice: “The important thing is not to stop questioning. Curiosity has its own reason for existing. One cannot help but be in awe when he [or she] contemplates the mysteries of eternity, of life, of the marvelous structure of reality. It is enough if one tries merely to comprehend a little of this mystery every day. Never lose a holy curiosity.”
Post Submitted by Casey
