My father taught me that nothing you learn will go to waste. He was right, sort of. Having survived an outdated school system, I hold volumes of esoteric knowledge for which I have had little or no use in my life. I can’t say that higher mathematics did a whole lot to expand my adolescent brain. I suppose someone cares about the Persian kings and their battle strategies, but I can’t say this knowledge has influenced many of my life decisions.
I can say, though, that nothing I have learned to DO has gone to waste. Basic things like replacing a muffler on my car or cooking a decent meal are things I draw on almost every day, even though these days I pay somebody else to replace my muffler. Even wildly esoteric things like molding lead bullets for a flintlock musket or crocheting lace for a friend’s wedding dress have helped me to grow. These skills, these experiences, empower me. They opened my eyes to laces that other craftswomen had created. They taught me ancillary skills, like how to light a blow torch.
Every skill I have ever learned without exception has opened a voice for me further into my being that says “I can”.
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