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Life-Long Learning
Reflections
Dr. Shehzad Saleem

Never should our learning end. It should continue until our last breath. It is a fascinating voyage undertaken by human intellect. If it is impeded, our faculty of intellect starts to stagnate and also gives us a signal that we are content on ideas that may have become obsolete.

Here are some benefits of this trait:

Firstly, it makes us establish a strong connection with our creator. For this we must develop a habit of continuously consulting and reading divine scriptures. Every time we read them we tend to get more invigorated in our relationship with Him and many a time end up with more refined knowledge of His attributes and practices. The more we reflect on them, the deeper our relationship becomes with Him.

Secondly, we must realize that people do not always remain the same. They change – both for the better and the worse. Life long learning keeps us abreast with this change in people, especially those in contact with us. If they have changed for the better, we must update our opinion about them lest we continue to harbour a previously held opinion about them. It must now be revised.

Thirdly, this attitude keeps us connected with the circumstances of the people around ourselves. If they are in need in any way or facing any difficulty, we will have the opportunity to address their problems and pitch in with our share to help them. This learning does not in any way have a link to prying and spying into the affairs of people. It actually means to have a deep contact with them in a way that lets us know if they are in any spot of bother.

Fourthly, life-long learning imbibes tolerance in us. When we learn about how and why other people think, act and react the way they do, we become more sympathetic and tolerant of them. We come to know that every person has a view and if he thinks differently from us, it is because of his peculiar approach to knowledge and learning. This is very similar to ours. Do then have we right to disregard others?

Fifthly, if we as life-long learners continue to learn from our mistakes and put this experience to use it is one of the greatest benefits we can reap from learning. Not only can this improve us as human beings, we will also be in a position to pass on this legacy to the next generation.

 

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