Weekly musings, 12/24/17: curiosity

Weekly musings, 12/24/17: Curiosity
In the movie “Elf,” Will Ferrell plays Buddy, a human adopted by Papa Elf when he is a baby. At some point, Buddy realizes he isn’t actually an Elf and sets out on a journey to find his real father in the far away land of Manhatten.

Apart from his slightly manic state (which is probably the result of the sheer amount of sugar he consumes), and surprisingly good skin despite the lack of vegetables in his diet, the most interesting thing about Buddy is his curiosity about his new environment. He is constantly in motion, searching for ways to play and be useful. He explores the world like a child, jumping on the lines across the crosswalk instead of walking, running round and around through turnstile doors until they make him sick, and running instead of walking whenever he has somewhere to be. 

While many of Buddy’s behaviors are a little suspect (maple syrup on spaghetti?), his natural curiosity with regards to movement is something we could all embrace. What if you looked at the world with slightly more wonder? Would you see the curb as an opportunity to balance heel to toe? Or would you hop from stepping stone to stepping stone? Finding joy in things we otherwise find routine makes the world interesting and might even make us feel younger, longer.

Wishing everyone a very Merry Christmas!