Amassing versus Expanding Knowledge

Sir Francis Bacon said, "Knowledge is power". Some people know a lot about a little, some people know a little about a lot and some people know a lot about a lot. I know a little about a lot. That's how I like it. I like to expand my knowledge. To me, knowledge is like the tiles of a mosaic instead of the mosaic itself. Everything I know is a piece of the person that is me.

See that blue tile over there? That's what I know about weather. See those brown tiles over there? That's what I know about Geology. See those funny shaped, odd-colored tiled over there? That's what I know about raising children. See those Milk-bone shaped tiles over there? That's what I know about dogs. See those green tiles over there? That's what I know about plants. And I could go on and on. I can point out all the different colors to you as we stand close to the mosaic, but when we stand a few feet away, you will see that all those tiles make a portrait of me.

To me, amassing knowledge is like accumulating books and setting them on shelves, never intending to read them, but having them because having that many books makes one look intelligent. What good is gaining knowledge if you are not going to use it? Expanding knowledge is adding to what you already have and making what you have better so that you can use it more effectively.

For me, going to school has been expanding my knowledge. I already know just enough to be annoying, but by going to school, I mature from Cliff Claven to Colonel Henry Potter. (For those of you who are unfamiliar with these characters, google Cheers and M*A*S*H.)

"Knowledge is power." I don't intend to have the kind of power that would take over the world, just change my little corner of it. How 'bout you?? Stay tuned . . .