Got an Itch?

Scratch Your Itch

“Happiness is having a scratch for every itch.” Ogden Nash

For the last three weeks, I've had a rash on my legs. It's nearly driven me crazy—well, crazier than usual. I've tried everything I know to stop it, antihistamines, steroid creams, Benadryl, and nothing has touched it. I'm finally going to see my doctor this morning to find a cure. But, all this itching got me wondering what kind of quotes I would find if I googled the word. Well, there is no shortage, believe me. A couple of cogent ones were: “One learns to itch where one can scratch.” (Scott Reed) and, my favorite, “A burning itch to know is higher than a solemn vow to pursue truth. To feel the burning itch of curiosity requires both that you be ignorant, and that you desire to relinquish your ignorance.” (Eliezer Yudkowsky)

I'm not sure what I'm itching to know, but I can truly appreciate a curious mind. In fact, I sometimes marvel when I meet someone who doesn't have one. Have you done that—asked questions that seemed important to you, only to have your friend say, “Oh, I don't know. I never asked.” Questions about everything from the operation of the universe, to the forming of relationships, to the history of folks, their back-story with details—yes, please. I talked with someone recently for whom I had a million questions he could not answer. He said “I don't know,” so many times, I finally said, “Wow, you don't ask many questions, do you?” His response was, “My wife used to write lists of questions I was to ask, so that I could answer her questions when I came home.” Now, that is an incurious mind!

Many authors report that they write because, “I had an itch I couldn't scratch.” Needing to know is one of the things that singles out humans from the rest of the pack of primates. We explore, delve, experiment, investigate, research and read. We want to know what makes everything tick. Our brains are equipped with all those folds, those crenulations, so we can pack a whole lot of “knowing” into a very small space. I hope you put your curious mind to work today. Learn something new. Scratch the itch you can get to.

                                                           In the Spirit,

                                                                 Jane