Deep Curiosity

I am a curious person.

Lack of curiosity just seems to be boring, like being only half awake. The world offers so many amazing things; how could anyone not be curious?

For a long time, my curiosity was skin deep. I skimmed along the surface, asked to gain information, then moved on to the next thing.

Eventually I realized that there is more, under the surface.

How do we begin, and sustain, deep curiosity? Three things are very helpful.

Deep Curiosity Grows out of a Sense of Wonder.

Our lives are full of wonder and amazement. We are surrounded by sights, sounds, ideas, emotions, all waiting for us. The stars in the sky. The overwhelming beauty of the oceans. Incredible people. Forests, deserts, mountains, prairies, along with everything that we manufacture.

As if all that were not enough, we generate our own thoughts and fantasies.

People who are not paying attention do not become deeply curious.

We can choose to be bored or afraid, or we can choose to explore the wonders.

Deep Curiosity is Willing to Ask Questions.

Questions spark contemplation. Questioning comes from a place of openness, of not knowing.

As we embrace the wonder of our lives, our questions become deeper. We often begin to move from How? or When? to Why? or Why Not?

Questions give other people an opportunity to teach us.

I enjoy asking questions.

Deep Curiosity Listens Well.

As we begin to appreciate the world of wonder, we come to recognize that we cannot continue to grow without listening well.

Asking good questions becomes much more beneficial as we stop to listen to the responses.

Asking and listening well open us to even more of the wonder.