A Passion for Learning

C.S. Lewis was a writer, a teacher, and a philosopher. Yet he considered learning to be his true vocation.

“An appetite for these things (learning) exists in the human mind, and God makes no appetite in vain. We can therefore pursue knowledge as such, and beauty as such, in the sure confidence that by so doing we are either advancing to the vision of God ourselves or indirectly helping others to do so. Humility, no less than the appetite, encourages us to concentrate simply on the knowledge or the beauty, not too much concerning ourselves with their ultimate relevance to the vision of God. That relevance may not be intended for us but for our betters—for men who come after and find the spiritual significance of what we dug out in blind and humble obedience to our vocation…The intellectual life is not the only road to God, nor the safest, but we find it to be a road, and it may be the appointed road for us.” (--from “Learning at War-Time” (The Weight of Glory) by C.S. Lewis)

As I read this passage, I was left with so many questions: Does every human have an appetite for learning—especially a desire for knowing God? Are some of our extreme behaviors a product of misplaced hungers?

According to my mom, I had a habit of eating dirt when I was a baby. This could have been just due to curiosity or some sort of nutrient deficiency. Luckily, I grew out of this weird habit soon. However, I haven’t outgrown my desire to dig, to learn. I still have an appetite to taste what I excavate, to analyze the soil, to examine everything closely. I’m not sure if this passion for learning is useful to anybody. It makes me happy, but I wonder how it fits into God’s plan? According to Lewis, many people before me have spent their lives digging and analyzing so that others who come after them may cultivate this soil and grow useful crops. Learning might not have an immediate yield, but it can still be a legitimate vocation. I don’t suggest pursuing knowledge for its own sake or for the accolades it brings. Just like nectar is hidden deep within beautiful flowers, there is beauty and knowledge hidden deep within all of nature and every soul. I have experienced fleeting moments of deep joy as I discover these hidden treasures. And like a miner who gets gold fever after finding a few nuggets, I am hooked.