“If a man will begin with certainties, he shall end in doubts; but if he will be content to begin with doubts, he shall end in certainties.”
Francis Bacon was a leading figure in the field of natural philosophy and science. He lived during the transitioning period between the renaissance and the early modern era. He is most well known as one of the founders of the scientific method. Foundational in modern science, the scientific method is a procedure of observing, asking questions, and seeking answers through experimentation.
It makes absolute sense that the man who helped develop our modern scientific method would speak on the opportunity for discovery. “. . . if he will be content to begin with doubts, he shall end in certainties.” And all discovery requires an open mind.
Curiosity
I’m a big advocate for curiosity. When I am open-hearted and wide-eyed, I am never disappointed.
In the mornings, I’ve had to start taking my own walk on account of our aging doggies. They are simply too stiff and too sniffy these days for me to get any exercise on walks with them! Poor sweeties. So, in addition to meandering the best sniff spots in the neighborhood with the girls, I have added my own brisk walk for myself.
There are many mornings when I strike out hot and am simply huffing it for the cardio with a full day of thoughts running through my brain before I even realize that I’m outside. The neighborhood I get to walk in is a beautiful one. There are birds singing. At that point, I try to switch gears into my curiosity.
When I am curious, I notice that there is that same black cat waiting at the back doorway of the lovely European-style cottage that the movers were just at a few days ago. I hope he didn’t get left behind. I notice that there is a large and disgusting fish carcass beneath the tree that the eagles perch in. That must be the remains of their dinner.
Paying Attention
When I am open-hearted and wide-eyed, there is always reward. And it’s true, sometimes there is hurt too. It does cost us something down here when we are engaged and paying attention. But of this I am certain: “There is so much beauty around us for just two eyes to see. But everywhere I go, I’m looking.” ~The late great Rich Mullins
If you have certainty, or if you have doubt, or if you would just like to be amazed from time to time, let’s be friends~
