My Love of All Things New

I've known this about myself for a long time... I am happy when I'm learning something new.  What I hadn't fully recognized until recently was how that applied to so many different parts of my daily life.

To start with, I suppose that is why I've had multiple careers.  I remember always being very excited at the start of each one of them, especially when the learning curve seemed to be uphill right from the get go.  As soon as that curve flattened out, so did my enthusiasm for the work.  In fact, I was happiest if I was continually growing with my job and, at the same time, training someone to eventually replace me.  It seemed like I always knew I was meant to move on.

Today, I don't have job skills that I am trying to acquire - just life skills.  My love for learning new things hasn't diminished nor has the excitement it brings me.  The difference, now, is that I find "newness" in unexpected places.

In the past, it hadn't been obvious to me that my love of discovering everything there was to know about someone was part of this trend.  I never found chatter of a superficial nature very satisfying.  I liked the ideas that sprung forth during conversations about the forbidden topics (like religion and politics) far more.

That's why I have come to the realization that people are truly wonderful; they are constantly in a state of change.  I find that there is always something new to learn about even your closest and dearest family and friends. What a terrific find this has been for me.  By moving my focus away from work related newness to exploring the difference in people, I have found an exciting playground.  Each individual is like a snowflake to me - similar in their makeup, yet wondrous and unique.

What I can't figure out is how "newness" differs from "change" (which seems to evoke a different response from me altogether).  Apparently, a question I will have to ponder on another day.