Curiosity-Day 3

 

“If knowledge is power, then curiosity is the muscle.”

Danielle LaPorte

Several years ago I read a book by choreographer Twyla Tharp entitled, Keep It Moving, Lessons for the Rest of Your Life.

What I remember most about the book was that Tharp pointed out that if we aren’t careful as we age our world can become smaller. Even our physical body shrinks in height and turns inward. 

Her message was NOT to allow this to happen. 

“As we get older and our bodies enjoy less natural freedom of movement, we tend to take up less

, both physically and metaphorically…our backs arch no longer straight and long. Our steps shorten from stride to shuffle. Our vision narrows, slowly erasing the periphery, leaving only what’s in front of our nose.”

As a result we tend to want to stay home where we may have whittled our living space down to only a few rooms. 

As Tharpe continues, “We let our bodies constrict inviting the world around us to close in.”

Sadly, the mind follows suit, and we begin to be concerned only with our daily functions. Our dreams, schemes and goals become something from our distant past. 

Why Tharpe’s observations caught my attention, though, was that I did not want to fall victim to this “constriction.”

Tharpe states that those who thrive in their latter years seem to have one thing in common. “Instead of stubbornly staying on known paths, afraid to stray, they look at what comes next with CURIOSITY, expanding into whatever it may be.”

She points out that our age is not the enemy, but rather “stagnation, complacency, stasis, and the status quo is what is holding us back. 

Tharpe continues inspiring with the following sentiment:

“What I believe in is change and the vitality it brings. Vitality means moving through life with energy and vigor making deliberate choices and putting to good use the time and energy that we have been granted.”

Stay curious my friends!