The Power of Curiosity

I started thinking about cats. How cute are fat cats… How would a cat look with a hat?

Well… that’s not really what I was thinking about. I just like thinking about different things. It’s fun to ask questions and discover new, surprising information. But to return to the point: I was thinking about cats…

How is it that people say cats have nine lives? I’m not sure if that’s true. Do cats never get the flu? All I know is they seem fearless, no matter what they do.

It seems like cats aren’t scared. They can jump from anywhere, and they always land with flair. They don’t seem to care what people say. If someone says something bad about them, they just stare. Cats love to move around; one of their favorite hobbies is trying out different chairs.

So again, I don’t know how many lives a cat actually has, but what I do know is that in the time they do have, they seem to do a lot. They explore all kinds of places—high buildings, narrow corridors, tree branches, and even the neighbor’s backyard. Some cats like to change their fur style, while others keep the same look but take a new route every day.

Cats seem to have fun! They don’t let fear stop them from getting things done. They let curiosity lead the way.

My grandma once told me an old saying, trying to get me to be more careful. She said, “Curiosity killed the cat,” and advised me to be more fearful.

My grandma was right about being careful, but I don’t think she was right about cats. Cats are not fearful, and maybe that’s why they accomplish so much in their lives. So I wonder… maybe curiosity didn’t kill the cat. Maybe it just gave the cat eight more lives.

Too often, we stop doing things, stop asking questions, and stop trying out of fear. To me, that seems sad. Life gets pretty boring if we shut off our curiosity. Curiosity is a power that can take us far and wide.

Do you think a cat ever gets bored? I don’t think so. So don’t let your curiosity be tied up in a knot. It’s important to be careful, but always keep your curiosity on. Keep doing, keep asking, keep trying.

I might not be sure about how many lives a cat has, but I do know humans only get one. So let’s make the most of it!

Challenge: With the spirit of a cat, write out a “day plan” where you let your curiosity lead the way.