Please Turn Me Over
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Surely you’ve heard the expression, “leave no stone unturned”, right? Sure you have! (I know, I know – and don’t call you Shirley.) Um, you’ll usually hear or use it while searching for something you know you have, but just can’t quite remember where you left it…
It’s often accompanied by a sense of panic (“… now where did I put those car keys?”), frustration (“Drat! I know this answer!”) or downright anger (Well, don’t ask me – I just handed it to you! – words which are usually followed by “you big doofus” or something, er, similar.)
But turning stones need not always be a negative concept, you know. It could also be related to… curiosity. Even as a kid (come to think of it, especially as a kid!) whenever there was something interesting in my path, I just had a natural inclination to stop and investigate it. You know what I mean.
When I came across a log, I couldn’t just step over it; oh, noooo. I had to get down on my hands and knees and check out what was underneath (ooh, lookit the pretty bugs). And if I encountered a stream, well, I simply had to put my fingers in it (gee, that’s a powerful wet, that is). A stone? Well, it might as well have had the message printed on it: Please turn me over.
It was like, I don’t know, a rule or something.
Over the years, that curiosity has occasionally gotten me into big trouble. You know that expression, “Curiosity killed the cat…”? Well, there was this one time…
On a trip to the beach at Galveston once (I was a tender young lad at the time – perhaps 3 or 4 years old) I was exploring the constantly shifting waterline when I found something really, really interesting (all right; it was shiny, OK?) Naturally, I picked it up; I mean, what kid wouldn’t?
Unfortunately for me, the shiny-looking object turned out to be a Portuguese Man O’War, (a type of jellyfish) washed up on the beach from the night before. (The photo at left is very likely what I saw half-buried in the sand. It’s not much to look at, is it?) Extremely bad news; this little critter’s toxin has been known to kill grown men.
Within moments, my hand, arm, and basically my entire little body went into a spasm of pain unlike anything I’d ever experienced before (or since, for that matter). Fortunately I was able to scream my head off before passing out – at least, enough to get help.
I don’t remember much else except ending up in the hospital. Although… there was the thrilling experience of tearing through downtown Galveston at high speed with a police escort. Now that was entertaining! (Don’t know why I remember that; but I do.)
Ah well; all’s well that end’s well, don’t you think? (After all, I’m still, you know, here.)
Anyway, back to the subject of curiosity…
See, to a child, the need to explore their world is pretty much, well, hardwired. After all, it’s how they first learn about their surroundings. Sadly, I think there’s a tendency to lose some of that curiosity bump as we get older and *ahem* “education” kicks in.
So what’s happening? Are we letting our education neurons displace our curiosity neurons as we get older? Has sophistication set in (a process not unlike the curing of very slow-setting concrete), and we can no longer allow ourselves to be interested in new things?
In other words, have we lost the freshness of life?
All I can say is, without the lure of curiosity, life would be dull indeed! No more challenges, goals, hopes, dreams… heck, there’d be no point in writing – and nothing to write about!
You want to exercise your curiosity? You can, you know – and it’s easy!
The next time you’re just strolling along, minding your own business – well, stop what you’re doing and, do something completely different! That’s right, friends; break out of the mold! Do something, as Monty Python was wont to say, completely different!
C’mon; take a chance you wouldn’t normally take! Heck, just turn the stone over!
[UPDATE:]
Augh! I completely forgot to mention (just washed my brain and can’t do a thing with it - sorry!) this post is my contribution to Joanna Young’s December theme, curiosity. If you’d like to contribute your thoughts, write a post or donate an organ or something to the topic, then why not drop by and see what it’s all about! Aren’t you even a little bit curious?
You know, it would just be absolutely finer than a frogs hair if you would subscribe to my RSS feed!
19 responses so far
Middle Zone Musings is a comfortable place to stop, have a cup of coffee, swap a few stories and share practical ideas for the real world. I don't ask for much, just a bit of your brain every now and then. Have a seat, take a load off, and relax...
Very motivational post! I’ve always thought as we get older, we tend to get more aware of our mortality and become more cautious. We also become creatures of habit. But you’re right, you have to stay fresh. Whenever I get out of my rut, voila! - I’m glad I did.
Brad, for years I’ve actually had a rock on my desk at home with the words “Please turn me over” on one side and “Thank you” on the other.
It makes for great inspiration!
I agree with Brad—as I get older I have lost some of my curiosity/chance taking, and you know what?—I miss it.
Thanks –This is a sad realization and I have you to thank Robert.
In the past –like Evil Knievel—I would take my Schwinn Bike over some sweet (board on a brick) 6” jumps or even eat a smoked oyster at Thanksgiving—but not since hitting the big 50.
You know what? There is a new Mike in town—I am going to start taking chances again—just as soon as I think of something big. —I’m curious now —any ideas?
Robert, I liked your description of what happens to us with time and experience as like the curing of slow-setting concrete (though until this moment I had no idea that concrete got “cured”…) It creeps up on us, then we find ourselves in a state of stuckness - and don’t know how to break out again.
And I love the simplicity of the stone on the desk - something that we can practice each day to remind ourselves to stay curious.
Joanna
ahhh about the same age my curiosity had me stick hairpins into the electrical socket. The thing is no matter how positively zingy the shot was - sortof like don’t do that, I still would stick the hairpin in. My mom saw me do it and about lost her mind - maybe she kept better patrol of the hairpins after that!
Mother Earth aka Karen Hanrahan
http://www.bestwellnessconsultant.com
My basic philosophy is “Stay curious and open to life. No matter what happens learn and grow from it. Find what you love to do and find a way to share it with others.” A couple of relevant posts are It’s a Magical World and Holy Curiosity.
Of course, if you really want to jazz up your life, take an aikido class and send your partner through a plate glass window.
Good philosophy, Robert — but ouch! about that man-o-war.
Forgot to thank you for the great story and topic! My curiosity (and greediness?) once earned me a trip to the hospital, too…my mother found me cheerfully eating ant poison when I was a toddler. Apparently it looked like yummy peanut butter and tasted great. Why else would ants and little kids eat it? It broke her heart as they drove me to the hospital–I sang all the way, completely clueless about the fact they were going to pump out my stomach. Fortunately I was young enough that I don’t remember anything about it.
You sure do dredge up some old memories. Thanks!
Mike; I dunno… that smoked oyster seems like a bit over the edge to me! But as you can see, I seem to have sparked some interesting responses here.
Let’s brainstorm a bit offline and see what comes up!
Hi Joanna! Yep, that curing thing… it’s the waiting period from the initial pour to the time it reaches its full strength.
And if you ever had to break up really old concrete, you should know it never stops hardening!
You can draw quite a few parallels, both good and bad, from that, don’t you think!
Howdy, Mother Earth! I started thinking back on all the “near misses” I’ve experienced, just as a child! Sheesh!
All I can do is shake my head and thank God for that squadron of angels he had surrounding me!
Hey, Sterling! Yeah - ouch! I guess the best thing about the incident is that I’ve forgotten enough to make it a good lesson; and also remember enough to make a good lesson.
Gee, did that seem like deja vu, to you, too? :-\
Wow, Jean; good thing mom was handy! But I know what you mean; I’m pretty sure I’m responsible for quite a few of my mom’s gray hairs!
Robert,
Curiosity is a wonderful thing! And thankfully, it doesn’t generally yield Portugese Men O’War!
Thanks for a great post!
Jeanne
You got that right, Jeanne! I can honestly say that generally speaking, I don’t get into life-threatening situations much because of curiosity.
There was that one time my big mouth got me in one, though… but I digress! :-O
Robert,
If we’re honest, I think that more than one of us would have to admit that our own mouths have done the same a time or two!
Jeanne
Alas, so true! Luckily those occurrences have lessened with time. At least I’m still learnin’!
Yuck… the jelly fish looks like some alien creature…
Howdy, Doula! Yes, it was so shiny and pretty, well, I just had to pick it up. Oh, well.
Thanks for dropping by!