"Many good men and women regret the opportunities in their lives that have slipped through their fingers because of their passiveness. They missed the chance to do some little service or act of courtesy because they didn't notice it in time. It's a good idea to bring children up to feel a certain sense of failure if they miss a chance to relay a message, open a door, carry a package, or do some other small act of kindness that presents itself. They should also learn to seize every opportunity to learn something. It's natural for children to regard every adult they meet as a fountainhead of knowledge about some particular subject. They should be trained so that they never grow out of this inquisitiveness. Success in life depends to a large extent on how alert they are at seizing opportunities, and this skill belongs to the category of physical habits. Opportunity is often symbolized as a figure flying by so fast that there's no way to catch it except by grabbing its forelock as it approaches."
Charlotte Mason in Modern English, Volume 3 page 108-109
Thought provoking quotes from Charlotte Mason always leave me pondering her ideas, prodding me to stretch my teaching skills. This one is no different.
I have one son who is very good at "seizing opportunities" but I am not sure how I encouraged that trait in him or if he just naturally has a sense of alertness to opportunities when they come up.
I will continue to ponder.
Painting above is a Caspar David Friedrich, Der Watzmann. Wikimedia Commons. This is my desktop image this week chosen by Mr. A.
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