Why So Curious?

Curiosity killed the cat…

I have been familiar with this saying for as long as I can remember and up until my high school days it served to block experiences foreign to me.  It wasn’t until I was in college that I was introduced to the (unofficial) second half of the statement:

…but satisfaction brought him back!

In time I came to understand that curiosity can be a killer.  Not in the physical sense but if left unresolved…unexplored…it gnaws away at you…leaving a hunger that remains unsatisfied.  Dr. Nancy Snyderman of NBC news took a moment to tweet her thoughts on the value of being curious:

Go ahead Nancy!  She’s on point but let’s be sure not to confuse curiosity with being nosy, a busy-body, gossip, or just being all up in someone else’s kool-aid.  Being curious is simply wanting to know something that will bring a deeper meaning to yourself.  Remember, Nancy says that curiosity is magical not a mediocre or malicious exercise.

Author and sociology professor, Eric Michael Dyson tweeted to me his thoughts being curious:

No doubt he said a mouthful but in essence, he’s speaking the same language as we do here at Virginia Tech.  Curiosity not only makes for becoming a better student but a better member of the community and the world.

So…go ahead and be curious about what’s around you.  Don’t be afraid to want to know why something works, why something happened, or how someone got to be who they are.  It’s not going to kill you…in fact…you will be most satisfied!

Talk show host and journalist Charlie Rose shared this with me, “Curiosity is what opens you to civilization’s experiences. Encourage it, serve it, demand it and it will open a lifetime of challenge and learning.”

When was the last time you were curious about something? Anything?  Let me know @GoodDocSims

I’m curious to hear from you!  Dare you to follow me!!!!

Nagging questions require struggle

I struggled to respond to the Martin-Zimmerman trial. A struggle rooted in my understanding of race. A struggle in my perceptions of justice. Struggles as a parent, a father, a Black man with a teen son and daughter. What I didn’t want to do was parrot what was already said in the media-verse but I did want to respond. Sometimes the sweetest sound comes when all is silent. In the end, I found the focus of my response on changing the world is by changing the way we interact with one another. A response that calls for the belief that one day the world will have no strangers.

Take a look at this piece from the Roanoke Times and let me know some other ways to change the world…your world…our world.

On Friday, August 9, 2013, at 1 PM in the Perspective Gallery  you are encouraged to come and share what’s been sitting inside you about the case, about justice, about where we go from here…whatever you want to bring to the conversation. If you can join us in person, that’s great!  If you can only  in not-so-person, follow at #HokieImpact, @GoodDocSims @TalkToTricia