For the love of learning

After a recent trip to the Redwood City Library, I learned something about myself. Without even thinking about it, I grabbed numerous books off the overstocked shelves, sat in a hard library chair consumed by the ideas and knowledge that these books contained. Hours past while I sat there learning about Switzerland, new knitting techniques, small engines and re-visiting the magical world of Harry Potter. It dawned on me that I just love and enjoy learning. I am curious and like asking questions to how things work, why we do certain things, and exploring unknown worlds, a trait that often had my mom going crazy when I was a child since I had the tendency to touch everything! Safe or not, keeping my mom on constant watch. Luckily all this learning taught me a thing or two about safety and common sense.

I have lived in many places these past years London (Ontario), Ajax, Vaughan, Pittsburgh and now Redwood City, California, and one of the things I do in each city is visit the local library. Libraries bring me back to the countless hours spent as a child with my dad, reading sessions, and even book clubs to see who could read the most books in a summer. Looking back through old report cards, as the top reader in my class are proof that I just love learning and exploring.

Libraries were my escape; we never had money for gaming consoles or cable so books were my way to spend the long summers. In one of the houses we lived in, the library was right across the street and I would often sneak away to get books. These books taught me how to knit, the wonders of cats cradle, the adventures of King Arthur and my first introduction of quantum physics.

While the Internet is great for information and even feeds by need for learning, there is still something about going to a library and reading from a book. Through these books I can go anywhere and be anyone. It is a break from the crazy hectic world, a little bit of quiet among the world’s great teachers, past and present.