Horizons, Knowledge, and Predispositions

We expand our horizons by adding new experiences and reading new books,

doing new things, going to new places, and challenging ourselves with new adventures.

Our predispositions, life experiences, existing knowledge, what we do and where we are,

our curiosities and triumphs as well as failures, choose what comes next.

The expansion of horizon is a poetic way of indicating growth,

increased cognition, enhanced instinct, and out limitless and ever enlarging body of knowledge.

A poetic way of describing predispositions,

is a compass with a finely tuned needle.

Though rare, sometimes predispositions are about negative experiences,

for example being smittened by all the things the Army Recruiter lies about at the Mall.

Underestimating the beautiful Appalachian or Pacific Crest Trails, is another example,

it is better to section hike a little bit at first, some take many years to section hike the whole thing.

But you know, as our horizon enlarges, even a tepid military experience can translate to greatness,

working with governments to protect endangered species from dangerous poachers is one beautiful example.

Following our compass, and expanding our endless horizons will transform us,

our predispositions will bloom like fields of wildflowers, colorful, unstoppable, unbreakable, endless.

And here I must state, in no uncertain terms, that I believe that,

following a compass needle that is set by somebody or something else, will deeply hurt us, send us into sadness and regret.

We all start with a tiny and wobbly compass,

and the littlest of horizons.

Perhaps a penchant for disassembling favorite toys, and an impeccable library of all the outstanding places that are somehow unusual,

from a cracked spider web filled WWII bunker to every river bridge that you can get under and get filthy from.

We have to cake care of who we are, and become more of it,

because that expands our horizon in the most magnificent of ways.

The dusty bridges turn to dusty trails,

toys become your endless computer programs.

You become an adventurer,

and an artist, and then so much more.

I suspect, we will run out of road,

if we follow an alien path.

You are filled with gentle and unique predispositions,

that will bring you great wisdom when examined.

Until you do follow your dreams and arrive at all the shores that call to you,

you won't really know what it is that you will become capable of, but it will be something far greater than you can image.

A great horizon, a great library of knowledge that helps you reason about new things by subtle analogy to what you already know,

takes you beyond one word guesses of wishes like lawyer, soldier, or doctor, in to the world of Presidents and Prime Ministers, Peace Makers, and Scientists that further Human Kind.

And if it so turns out that the world is not yet ready for who you become,

then you become a part of a bridge that aims to cover that gap, or restore something that has gone lost.

A President that the world is not yet ready to elect will work to help the world grow, a Peace Maker will aim to remind the world we are one,

a Scientist that does not yet have the necessary tools and research, will work to invent them for those that are sure follow.

We must listen to our hearts, to our curiosities and learn to no end, look how much more you are than the child you once were,

that child could not have grasped the complexity of your being today, and you today, cannot grasp the complexity and beauty of your wisest self... keep learning, and keep following your own dreams.