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The saying goes, “You can’t teach an old dog new tricks.” I think this is one of the worst rationalizations of all time. I hate it! Perhaps that is because I qualify as an old dog. I am over sixty. Supposedly, I am incapable of learning new ways of doing things. How far from the truth! I have never enjoyed learning more than I do now. At this stage, I have a little more freedom with my time. With a few years under my belt, I am also more aware of what is going on inside of me. Now is the best season of learning for me.

What would happen if we flipped the whole equation on its head? Instead of asserting that we learning diminishes with time, wouldn’t it be great if we saw learning as a constant upward curve? The old paradigm suggests we spend the early years learning what is necessary for basic functioning, the middle years developing skills to enable us to be effective and purposeful, and the latter years we enjoy learning as a gift for breadth and depth of being. In this new paradigm, we are constant learners growing more and more passionate about new insights and knowledge as we get older. This is the model I want to embrace.

We become perpetual learners by cultivating three core attitudes. 

Learning entails childlike curiosity.We see this in the face of a child as she explores the outdoors or imagines the world of Narnia. What joy we might discover if we could rediscover the joy of discovery! 

Learning blossoms in the soil of humility. I can only guess that the reason an old dog can’t learn new tricks is that it thinks it already knows all the tricks. Humility embraces the ever-present opportunity to learn from anyone and everyone. Over the last years, I have had the privilege of participating in a Mentoring ministry at our church. Interestingly, I continuously hear from mentors how much they have learned from their mentees. As they humble themselves as fellow-learners with their mentees, they grow in ways that might even outpace their mentees.

Finally, learning takes the risk of trying new things. Learning inevitably is a journey into the unknown. To my detriment, I never really liked reading biographies – or so I thought. I imagined them to be boring. Until I picked up a book on the life of Charles Spurgeon. Through it, I gained insight into the genius, the complexities, and the devotion of a massive influencer on a nation. Spurgeon taught me and inspired me. It took me a long time, but I had to be willing to learn new tricks. Traveling to new places is a way to practice learning. Developing new skills or dusting off old skills can be incredibly life-giving. Even learning new technology expands our mind.

Regardless of our age, how might you and I freshly embrace the joy of learning? What treasures await us if we can break out of the rut of busyness and sameness and experience the thrill of discovering new worlds. Take a chance. Break out and learn a new trick!

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