Dear Pogue,

The world is filled with so much to learn. There really is no excuse for anyone to say “I’m bored”! And I love learning. You know that saying about; “Like a child in a sweet shop”? Well I often find myself in a place like that, standing gazing about, thinking what shall I delve into? I fondle little bits of learning, turning them gently in my thoughts, caressing, to find which arouses my imagination most. Then hopefully I’ll make a choice🤔

The issue is that I actually don’t make a choice but rather try to stuff everything I can grasp into my bag, like every ambitious but unsuccessful thief. I end up with a haphazard collection of information that is not join up and has limited use.

So here’s the thing. Life does require a certain discipline if we are to progress or experience success in our chosen pursuits. Yes, we do need to chose a pursuit, make a decision, determine a single route at a time lest we drift from one thing to the next actually going nowhere. Then, having decided, you have to apply yourself and that’s the hard part because in doing so you will leave all the other interesting and captivating things behind. But you’re building a relationship with the knowledge you seek. Nuturing love, which starts with excitement and is fragile. Then it will need to be worked at. It will have some days that are better than others, but we persist because the result will be greater than the sum of the parts.

Occasionally I meet a person who has the ability to pursue two or more paths of learning, or has structured their learning in such a way as to have overlapped different disciplines and I am envious. I don’t have that capacity🥺 So I work with what I do have and I add to my learning, broadening my experience and knowledge. Maybe one day I’ll be content with what I know and then start a new path, beginning the experience all over again. If I do I will be hard pushed to choose because the more I know the more I know there is to know. Let it never be said life is boring. Life is a treasure trove and this modern age has laid a greater wealth before us than ever before.

Pogue, I know you have currently chosen your route. Enjoy it. Suck the life from it right up to the point where the fun has gone and then chose again and bank more treasure. Never stop learning😊

Yours, book in hand,

Wic.