Become a Student of Life: Knowledge-Seeking.
From Reluctant Reader to Lifelong Learner: My Journey Into the Pursuit of Knowledge
I love to read. But that wasn’t always the case.
In fact, I used to hate reading. I hated it with a passion. I was the kid in English class who’d pull my hoodie over my head, slump down in my chair, and fall asleep the moment we had to read anything. The idea of sitting still and staring at a page filled with black-and-white letters? Torture. My brain would rather be anywhere else.
Back then, reading wasn’t just boring—it felt impossible. My mind, always buzzing with distraction, couldn’t settle. If I did manage to make it through a page, I’d immediately forget everything I just read. I didn’t understand why people voluntarily subjected themselves to such a slow and sleepy task. Why read when I could be out with friends, trying new things, chasing experience?
So how did reading—something I once loathed—become one of my greatest passions?
The Spark of Curiosity
Looking back, the answer is simple: I’ve always been curious. Even when I didn’t realize it, I was seeking to understand the world around me. Whether it was fiddling with a fidget spinner or trying to wrap my head around Einstein’s theory of relativity, my mind was always asking, “How does this work?” and “Why is this the way it is?”
School never nurtured that curiosity. I got good grades without trying, but the system felt stifling. I saw it for what it was: a machine built to produce obedient workers, not free thinkers. Everything about it—raising your hand to speak, asking permission to use the bathroom, moving to a bell—rubbed me the wrong way. I wasn’t opposed to learning. I just didn’t want it spoon-fed to me in a cage.
Everything changed when I went to Europe at 17.
The Europe Shift: Falling in Love With History
Standing in Germany, surrounded by buildings older than the country I grew up in, something shifted in me. I realized history wasn’t just dates and names—it is human struggle, triumph, and truth written across centuries. For the first time, I felt what it meant to learn—not for grades or tests, but for the joy of understanding.
That spark set off a chain reaction. History led me to philosophy. Philosophy to politics. Politics to psychology. Before I knew it, I was spending whole days reading, watching documentaries, and falling into rabbit holes on YouTube. I became a student of life, chasing knowledge for the sake of growth.
The Gift of Understanding
This journey has given me a clearer lens through which to see the world. I understand human nature better than I ever have before. I can step into different perspectives, ask deeper questions, and challenge the status quo—not because I’ve been trained to, but because I’ve trained myself to.
A quote I love stopped me in my tracks: “Never stop learning.” It came from a 98-year-old man in a Reddit thread, of all places. His simple words hit me harder than any textbook ever could. For a while, I thought life had a stopping point—some magical moment where you “know enough.” But that’s a lie. As Socrates said, “The only true wisdom is in knowing you know nothing.”
Ignorance breeds fear. Knowledge breeds courage.
Proverbs 15:14 says, “The discerning heart seeks knowledge, but the mouth of a fool feeds on folly.” Seeking truth is more than a habit—it’s a moral responsibility. One of the seven cardinal Divine Masculine qualities is to be “knowledge-seeking.” It’s a virtue. It’s how we grow spiritually, emotionally, and intellectually.
The Practice of Self-Education
Self-education isn’t easy. It requires initiative, discipline, and humility. Learning often means confronting your own ignorance—and that can be painful. But it’s also one of the most empowering things you can do.
Knowledge isn’t just power. It’s protection. It gives you the tools to understand the world, to navigate complexity, and to resist manipulation. A well-informed mind is one of the greatest defenses against tyranny, corruption, and deception. Wars, division, and injustice often stem from individual and collective ignorance.
Without knowledge, we are vulnerable. With it, we are free.
Proverbs 20:15 says, “Gold there is, and rubies in abundance, but lips that speak knowledge are a rare jewel.” Wisdom is rare. When you find someone who speaks with depth, insight, and discernment—hold on to them. Learn from them. Walk with the wise.
Knowledge as a Sacred Journey
God wants us to be wise. The Bible is full of calls to seek knowledge:
“For the Lord gives wisdom; from his mouth come knowledge and understanding.” – Proverbs 2:6
“The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge, but fools despise wisdom and instruction.” – Proverbs 1:7
“Teach me knowledge and good judgment, for I trust your commands.” – Psalm 119:66
“The Spirit of the Lord will rest on him—the Spirit of wisdom and of understanding…” – Isaiah 11:2
Spiritual knowledge and secular knowledge both matter. St. Thomas Aquinas, the patron saint of teachers, once said that faith should never limit our pursuit of reason. Faith and intellect aren’t enemies—they are partners in the pursuit of truth.
As Talib Kweli said, “Life without knowledge is death in disguise.”
The search for knowledge will change you. Once you begin, you won’t want to turn back. It becomes a part of who you are. A habit. A hunger. A soul-deep drive to grow.
The Hard Road Is the Worthy Road
No one said it would be easy. In fact, the pursuit of wisdom requires sacrifice. As C.S. Lewis wrote, “Man cannot remake himself without suffering, for he is both the marble and the sculptor.” Growth is painful, but it’s also the path to purpose.
We’re not meant for comfort. We’re meant for the challenge. As JFK said, “Do not pray for easy lives. Pray to be stronger men.” Jesus never promised a smooth road—but He promised it would be worth it.
Wisdom gives us the clarity to seek justice. The patience to love well. The discernment to act rightly. It makes us better leaders, better partners, and better children of God.
So, never stop learning.
Study what lights you up. Study what makes you stronger. Let your curiosity be a compass. Let your desire to understand be the flame that never goes out.
And remember—once you open a good book, it just might open you.
