Do you agree with this quote?

Today's quote comes from Abigail Adams (1744-1818), the second First Lady of the United States and wife of the second U.S. President, John Adams:

"Learning is not attained by chance, it must be sought for with ardor and diligence."

I agree wholeheartedly with Abigail. What she is saying is that people must take an active interest in learning. Books do not merely fall from the sky and into your lap -- you need to seek them out, whether at home or in the library. The same applies in the digital world, where you can find helpful videos on YouTube, informative articles on Wikipedia, and so forth.

Unfortunately, far too many people believe learning stops the day you graduate from college. This couldn't be further from the truth. Just because you don't have to take exams or write papers anymore doesn't mean you can't learn how to play an instrument, read and write in a different language, or start your own business.

Nothing enriches the mind like knowledge. It's important to keep it sharp by always aiming to learn new things each passing year. People get so caught up with work and family life that they feel too tired at the end of the day to read a book, watch a documentary, or do other stimulating activities. As a result, the mind becomes utterly stifled.

While we certainly learn from our experiences and day-to-day dealings with people, there's a lot to be said for picking up a fascinating book or immersing oneself in a thought-provoking film. Sometimes you learn a great deal by simply escaping the present at transporting yourself mentally to a different world or era.

While it's certainly not feasible to spend all our time living in the past or future, we can all use a break from the present every once in a while -- and things like books and movies help facilitate that.

One should never feel too tired, lazy, or busy to learn. In my view, enriching the mind makes life far more interesting. Knowledge is power, and sharing that knowledge with those around us is all the more gratifying.

How much do you enjoy learning new stuff?

Comments

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