Curiosity

I was recently exposed to a new children's author, Oliver Jeffers. The boys and I have really enjoyed reading his books together. I enjoy his stories and art. I came across an interview he did and found this quote interesting:

Telling Stories and Asking Questions by Oliver Jeffers, published on 11/9/2013 HuffingtonPost
"I'm a curious person. I grew up that way. An important lesson my dad taught me was that the surest sign of intelligence in an individual, is curiosity, and that 'why' is the most important word in the English language."

Before we were married, I used to think that I was a smart girl, because I did well in school. (On the flip side, Brett didn't make straight A's--you can guess what I thought about his intelligence.) The longer I am married to Brett the more I am impressed with him, and the more I realize how very wrong I was. I regularly reflect on my husband's intelligence and his ability to do anything he set his mind to (except maybe sing...).

I think it all goes back to curiosity. I see how my husband is wired to wonder how things work. Then he figures it out and applies his knowledge. His hobbies are quite varied and self-taught.

It thrills me to see a little of this same curiosity in my son, Ryan. His hands are always busy, and he asks a lot of "why" questions, which I often deflect to my husband. Unfortunately, his schoolwork also resembles his dad's. I am afraid it will require great patience on my part dealing with his approach to school and homework. I hope that I can keep in mind the great things his father has done and look forward to what Ryan has to offer.

(Don't worry, Todd. You and I are both smart in our own ways, even if we don't have that natural curiosity.)