Thought I'd try something new. Sometimes I need accountability to keep me purposeful in my learning (and other areas of life). I think we all can learn from each other's experiences so I figure I can get accountability AND share so that other's may benefit along the way. All that to say, I'm going try sharing what I'm learning once a month. I don't expect it to be super deep and detailed. Just an idea of what I'm reading, listening to and pondering. If something interests you or you have something to add, please connect with me and share. Let's keep learning together!
In the past month 2 topics have risen to the top.
1) Art and design
2) Pondering my reactions to thoughts and how I can adjust my perspective
I'm reading Walter Isaacson's book about Leonardo da Vinci. I picked it up because I've enjoyed all the other books that he's written but I hadn't read this book yet because, honestly, art hasn't interested me much. I've been to Florence, The Louvre and the Vatican and quickly walked past the art and sculptures. I thought the Sistine Chapel was gaudy but appreciated Michelangelo's work. I stood in a huge crowd inching forward to see the Mona Lisa and walked away underwhelmed.
But, after reading this book, I'm much more interested in what goes into these works of art. The technique. The intentional design. The preparation. The time it takes.
Similarly, I've learned about the work of Antoni Gaudi while on a trip in Barcelona. If I had simply looked at the architecture, I would have said "that's gaudy", as in tacky. But, after a tour of Sagrada Familia, I have an appreciation for his work. Again, the preparation, the purpose behind the design, the time, the details... It's still not exactly "beautiful" to me but it is inspiring and fascinating. 
I'm left wanting to learn more, maybe revisit some of these places with rich histories of art.
Shifting gears. I often find myself thinking about how I think. Wondering why I react to certain things in certain ways. Pondering how I may be able to think about things differently. I guess the art story even fits with this. The very same art that bored me a year ago is fascinating to me today. Why? Because I have a broader perspective. A broader appreciation. Where else in my life might this be true? Where else in my life do I need this to be true?
On this same trip, we also visited some towns that the Apostle Paul visited. Ephesus, Corinth, Athens... Seeing these places and learning more about what they were like when Paul visited has certainly expanded my perspective on the passages we read in Acts, Ephesians, 1&2 Corinthians... God used these major economic centers to help facilitate the spread of the Gospel and these strong economic cities turned into ancient ruins. Ephesus went from being a port city to being being 7 kilometers away from the coast thanks to silt deposits from the river. These things were true before I visited but now my perspective has expanded. I can see how we are part of the same story as Paul. I can also see that life as we know it will almost certainly change and maybe even cease to exist. Imagine Atlanta or New York City as we know it becoming simply ruins. Rome, Ephesus, Athens, Corinth show us that this is "normal" as time moves along. It's so easy to think we are apex of civilization. I'm sure the Roman's and Ephesians felt the same way. God used these economic power houses for the spread of His Gospel and then the center of power moved. I'm pretty sure that will be true of for us as well. So, we are part of a BIG story and our current reality won't remain as we know it for very long in the grand story.
So, what will be next for learning? I'll let you know when I learn it!
