It was given me years ago, and thankfully, I took reasonable, if somewhat imperfect care of it, so that today it still serves me well. I have an inquisitive and curious mind. Mind you, I don't always know what to do with it. The inner workings of any internal combustion engine fascinates me, but I am no mechanic. Big heavy equipment like bulldozers, cranes, and locomotives leave me in awe.
Yesterday Linda and I attended a ju jitsu tournament in which our grandchildren Mattie and Nathan were participating. As everyone from little kids to grown adults rolled around on the mats trying to get the advantage over their opponents, what to the untrained eye looked little more than just that - rolling around, the one who had the best command of the various moves and holds inevitably became the winner. I've watched my son teach his children different moves, different ways to take down an opponent or break out of a hold. There are basic drills and skills to be learned if one is to become proficient in the sport.
I've been practicing my bass and watching youtube videos in the effort to improve my capabilities. I knew about the importance of fifths in bass work, and of fourths, thirds, and seconds, but I couldn't tell you the notes of even a C major chord, let alone a B minor diminished ninth. A good bassist can do that, and therefore knows the right notes to play just by looking at a chord notation on the sheet music. Me? I'm guessing. And while I'm at it, I'm trying to pick up some slap bass technique, which looks simpler than it is. I can't imagine ever getting bored or satisfied with the status quo of my playing. There is always something more to learn, something more towards which to strive. This is true of everything in life. There is so much more than what any of us yet knows, which means we never have to stop growing in life, in faith, in our knowledge of this world or the next. And yet there are so many who have lost their joy of living, their eagerness to learn and grow. I am grateful for the desire inside me to keep growing. Not everyone has it, and I certainly didn't produce it myself. It is a gift from God for which I am thankful tonight.
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