Curiosity Didn't Kill the Cat After All

The Super Power of Wonder, Learning & Questioning As We Age

There is a proverb,“Curiosity killed the cat.”

Personally, I think curiosity may be what keeps the cat alive.

A cat captivated by its photo shoot.

Somewhere along the way, many adults stop asking questions. We stop exploring random interests. We stop trying beginner hobbies. We stop wandering down intellectual rabbit holes simply because something catches our attention.

Maybe it’s because we become busy. Maybe it’s because we no longer want to appear uninformed or inexperienced. Or maybe society quietly suggests there comes an age when we should already know who we are and what we know.

But lately, I’ve been wondering if curiosity is one of those habits that helps keep us mentally sharp, emotionally engaged, and connected to the world around us as we age.

Recently, I found myself enthusiastically chatting with a guest at Conner Prairie, the living history museum where I work, about Arapawa goats.

Yes. Goats.

Specifically, a rare heritage breed with only about 600 remaining in the world. Conner Prairie participates in a breeding program to help preserve the species. My curiosity was peaked when I learned about heritage breeds while visiting that area of the museum.

Then I did what curious people do. Read.

Arapawa goats lived in the wild on Arapawa Island in the Marlborough Sounds.

I learned these goats originated from the northern tip of New Zealand’s South Island. I learned why they matter. I learned how Betty Rowe with her family and friends saved the goats by exporting some to the United States. Before long, I was sharing facts about endangered goats with complete strangers like I had been preparing for a National Geographic special.

One of my co-workers laughed and asked, “How do you know so much about Arapawa goats?”

The answer was simple: curiosity.

As a girl growing up in the suburbs of Chicago, I can assure you I never imagined goats would someday become one of my conversational specialties. My exposure to farm animals was mostly limited to the farm section of Lincoln Park Zoo and books. Yet here I was, fully invested in the survival of a rare breed of goat I had never even heard of a year ago.

And honestly? I love that about aging.

I love that life can still surprise me with new interests I never saw coming. I love that my brain still lights up when I discover something unfamiliar. I love that there are still entire worlds of knowledge waiting for me simply because I decided to ask one more question.

The older I get, the more I appreciate others who remain curious about life.

Curious people like my friend, Patti, who is always stirring up new recipes. Or my family members who are constantly discovering new restaurants. I am registering for an Encaustsic Collage workshop at a downtown art center.

Artist creating a collage

I love people who can admit they don’t know something and respond with curiosity instead of criticizing themselves or deciding they are “too old” to learn something new. People in their seventies and beyond continue to surprise themselves.

They take classes. Travel somewhere unfamiliar, like my friends with Indiana Over 60 Women Travelers. Join book clubs. They research family history. Volunteer. Learn to garden. Try foods they once insisted they would never eat.

They do not move through life as if their story is over.

There is something inspiring about people who refuse to become too old to be interested. They keep noticing things. Still wonder about things. Still allow themselves to have shoshin, a ‘beginners mind.’

And perhaps that is part of what keeps some older people vibrant.

Experts say curiosity and lifelong learning help keep our brains engaged as we age. I suspect they are right. Beyond brain health, curiosity just makes life more fun.

Curious people continue expanding instead of shrinking. They remain connected to the world around them. They keep discovering new ideas, new passions, and sometimes entirely unexpected interests.

Sometimes their discoveries are profound.

And sometimes… they are goats.

Arapawa goats in their native New Zealand