I have always loved the pursuit of knowledge. When I was little one of the most wonderful things I could do was read or listen to a book on tape. I thrived in story and at the same time loved history. The mystery of discovering what exactly happened eons in the past enthralled me and made me dream of exploring castles and long abandoned cities. Rhodes seems to have answered that call, minus the abandoned. Around every corner something new and surprising awaits, whether it be a Turkish Bath or a vacant lot that doubles as a 2000 year old archaeological site. During class we have discussed how to attain wisdom within the context of the Hebrew Bible. Two paths of spreading knowledge, history and story do not always coincide in cultural context but I feel that each is equally important to understanding and attempting to comprehend life. History provides context. Without it we are lost for every action we take is dictated by what actions have occurred before ours. At the same time, fact is not the most important thing to explore. Stories can tell truths better than fact in many cases because they avoid the complicated gray areas that exist in the past. I feel that in order to attain wisdom, one must explore both of these paths, which in many cases can be difficult, especially when in the sense that they are polar opposites. Rhodes is helping me explore both of these because the history is letting my imagination run wild. Today I stumbled across a glazed ceramic sherd in the dirt next to the castle. I could tell that it was old but had no idea of its provenance or actual age. I imagined ways that the piece would have broken or become lost, but am unable to truly identify what happened because of missing information. By exercising the mind in exploring the facets of history we are missing, we can hope to slowly work to become wise and virtuous.
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