Kathryn August 17th, 2011

Develop a passion for learning. If you do, you will never cease to grow. – Anthony J. D’Angelo

Yesterday (and today) my thoughts have dwelt on 3 wonderful women. The first, I’ve known for about 5 years and in that time she has taught me a lot, and yet almost every day I continue to learn more from her and learn more about her. The second, I have known for probably around 7 or 8 years. She has in many ways become like a sister to me, she is a wonderful example to me and those around her. In watching her work in many areas of her life I have noticed that she puts her all into everything she does. The third, I have known for probably around 6 or 7 years, and our relationship is a great contrast to those I have mentioned above. In fact we rarely talk or see each other and yet I know her as a woman of immense understanding and wisdom, a woman who studies and learns all that she can.

I would describe each of these women as women of strength, humility and integrity. They are examples of love, service and sacrifice, and I believe each of them have helped shaped who I am today. The one thing that has linked them together in my mind at the moment is their passion and love of learning. They are continually seeking to increase in knowledge, wisdom and understanding. They are continually seeking to improve themselves and are not satisfied with less than their best.

I feel that far too often I accept less than my best… With too many things, I have noticed that as long as it meets a minimum standard I’m happy to move on to the next thing. I am learning through the example of these great women that I should not be satisfied merely with a ‘task complete’ I am learning that I should strive to complete and serve in all areas of my life, to the best of my ability. I remember one of these women saying one day that she did not necessarily want to be the best, but she wanted to be the best that SHE could be. So, from today I want to set my self a new standard, to be the best that I can be. It does almost seem daunting to realise that as I strive to do and be my best, that my best will continue to become better.

I have also come to know that the more I learn, the better I can become. Through learning, we can find and learn better ways, we realise a better standard. Whether the learning and knowledge that we gain is through formal education, the advice and counsel we received from others, from our own mistakes or through the Spirit it does not matter. What matters to me is that I take what I have learnt and use it to become the best I can be. I believe that the more we learn, the greater capacity we have to teach and help those around us. We raise stronger families and happier children when we have learnt through study and experience what makes us happy.

I hope that I can foster in my children a love of learning. I hope to teach them to give their all and their very best in every aspect of their life whether that be their schooling, church service, families or their construction of a toy train track! I want this for them because I believe that by learning this early in their lives they will be able to live their life to the fullest. I want my children to be able to touch the lives of others the way that these women have touched mine.

I leave you now with two more quotes….

- To know, is to know that you know nothing. That is the meaning of true knowledge.
Socrates

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