There are so many things to be learned about the world. Take a library, for example. Think about how many different subjects are to be studied and learned through the books on the library shelves. You could start reading a book today and still be reading months or years from now. Or consider how much you could learn about something as simple as your favorite flower. Many books have been written, and hundreds of websites have been created about that kind of flower alone. There is a complexity to your favorite flower that makes learning about it take longer than you’d first think. Whether you are eight or seventy-eight, continuing education is important for you.
Continuing education does not just mean that you move on to college after high school or that you pursue a graduate degree after completing college. Continuing education means continuous learning. Continuing education happens as we become curious people who care about ourselves, others, and the world. When we are curious about something, it will inspire us to learn about it. Continuing education is simply about becoming a lifelong learner. It is about never being satisfied with the amount of knowledge we have but always pursuing something new.
Think about ways to make continuing education a consistent part of your life. What things are you curious about? Are there things you have always wondered about? Perhaps you would like to know more about the history of the automobile or about the person who invented blue jeans. Allow yourself to wonder things like this, but do not let yourself stop by just wondering. Continuing education means taking the time to study and learn about these and other things.
Continuing education can be as simple as committing to reading one book per month for the rest of your life. Think about how much you could learn by reading books on different subjects for the rest of your life. Or, continuing education can be enrolling in a class at a local college just for fun. Have you always wanted to learn about European history? Enroll in a class about it just for your benefit.
Whatever continuing education means for your life, just do it. You will be glad that you made it a priority to keep learning, and you will be surprised about how little you already know. Once you begin continuing education, you will never be able to stop, and that is exactly the point.
