Curiosity Fuels a Hungry Mind | #MyFridayStory №375
All children are born curious. Sadly, many lose that innate hunger for knowledge by adulthood, replacing it with a desire for instant gratification.
I was fortunate to grow up in a home where curiosity was encouraged. My older Brother had one of the most inquisitive minds I’ve ever known — his thirst for knowledge was insatiable. My Parents not only filled our home with love but also with opportunity. They wanted us to read widely, to challenge our beliefs, and to think critically.
I was the last born, 11 years after my Brother, with two Sisters in between. Our house featured a floor-to-ceiling bookshelf separating the entrance hall from the lounge. That shelf was a portal to countless worlds — stories, history, science, chemistry, religion, the universe, nature, and every topic imaginable.
My parents came from Pofadder, a small, dusty Northern Cape town. Raised under the strict gaze of the Dutch Reformed Church, one might assume they were conservative and rigid in their thinking. But even before marriage, they embraced a more open-minded worldview.
When World War II broke out, my father joined the Air Force and trained in Johannesburg. My mother, a nursing sister, studied in Germiston. Though both were from the same small farming town, they barely knew each other. It was only once they were in Johannesburg that my Dad asked my Mom on a date to the Nurses’ Ball.
Adjusting to city life was tough for them. Afrikaans was their first language, yet all their coursework and literature were in English. They had to learn the language from scratch. They vowed that if they had children, they would give them a head start by schooling them in English.
During the war, my Dad served in North Africa and Europe, developing a love for foreign travel that lasted his entire life. By the time he passed, just shy of 80, he had seen most of the world — Moscow was the only city left on his wish list. My Mom often accompanied him on these journeys. Exposure to diverse cultures and literature shaped their perspectives, making them more compassionate and open to different ideas. Their evolving worldview influenced how they raised us.
My older Brother and I shared a room. He had an uncanny ability to grasp complex concepts and explore their applications. For reasons I’ll never fully understand, he took me under his wing and shared everything he knew. His mind worked at an astonishing pace — he devoured books and mastered difficult subjects in hours or days. I’ve never encountered anyone with a mind quite like his.
He was always tinkering at his desk, fascinated by electronics, chemistry, and science. But his greatest passion was flying. Our room was filled with meticulously built model airplanes — World War II fighter planes like the German Junkers “Stuka,” Messerschmitt, and the iconic RAF Spitfire, alongside bombers like the Shackleton, Lancaster, and Flying Fortress. He also loved building gliders, crafting elegant wingspans of over three meters that soared like prehistoric pterodactyls.
Before I even started primary school, I was creating games and toys. By high school, I had conceived at least a dozen inventions, all fuelled by curiosity. At 15, I joined the Institute of Inventors and Innovators, inspired by the South African designer of the Kreepy Krauly, Ferdinand Chauvier.
Over the years, I’ve built and designed all kinds of things. I made pinball machines that became a favourite after-school pastime. I designed a dartboard with electronic scoring, an energy-efficient convection heater, and my most recent concept, a shower mixer with tactile “notches” that enhance the experience of adjusting the temperature.
Curiosity is the key to innovation. When you challenge the status quo and keep an open mind, you attract creative thoughts and ideas. These ideas will often be unconventional and untested, but that’s exactly what makes the pursuit of knowledge so rewarding. The process of discovery, the patience of research, and the thrill of learning something new are what feed a truly hungry mind.
Have a wonderful weekend, and remember — be generous! 😊
As always, thanks for reading. 🙏
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