A Little Bit of Everything

I saw a bird. Pyrrhuloxia. Actually, two. They flew from bush to bush right in front of me. They were too fast for me and my camera, but I saw them clear as day and so did my friends. I last spotted one at Falcon Lake State Park in 1987. The recent sighting was just outside Persidio. I guess I could have found one sooner, but I’m a birder in the same way as I’m a geologist or a plant lover or a dabbler in physics. Incidental. I like to know what I’m seeing or reading, so I try to figure it out.

I think my knowledge, however, is a mile wide and an inch deep or maybe two. I used to kick myself for not finding something in which to specialize, but over the years I’ve come to realize perhaps my specialty is knowing a little bit about a lot of things and being willing to learn. It came about because I aspired to the idea of being a Renaissance Man, a well-rounded, well-read individual.

Of course, a key feature of this pursuit is humility because the pursuit of knowledge is predicated on the understanding of one’s own ignorance. So, I can’t really say I know anything. Interesting paradox. In the end, I suppose it’s mostly about self-gratification, which sounds a little selfish but over the years I’ve discovered that taking care of myself is how best I can take care of the ones I love.