“Ancora Imparo”, Michelangelo

At 87 years of age, Michelangelo said, “Ancora Imparo” (still I am learning).  It is a quote I love.  It guided me throughout my university years and beyond.  As a research student the excitement was not finding the answers, but finding more questions that took me down new paths.  That excitement stays with me in this blogging world when I come across phrases and words that are unfamiliar.  Then there are those that are familiar but have other meanings, new to me.

The word gregarious is not new to me.  It is not a word anyone who knows me would use to describe me.  As luck would have it, I come from a large, loving, accomplished and gregarious family but I never found my place under their sun.  Perhaps that’s why I am quiet, observant, reserved.  I learnt from a very young age, the need for solitude was critical to develop into the person I’m happy to be.

Perhaps from the loss of the family I once knew, oddly enough despite having a reserved nature, I’m drawn to gregarious people, especially men.  I’m attracted to men who laugh heartily, who can tell a joke and hold people captive when they speak, who can say in a booming voice, “how are ya!” and mean it.  Yes, they make me smile long after I’ve met them.
Son’s wedding, Perth Zoo, Western Australia
So the word gregarious is one I associate with the most is, parties and people.
I would use the word gregarious to describe this friendly Splendid Fairy Wren, as well.  One that is used to being around people like this one at The Berry Farm, in the Margaret River region.  The little cafe is set in a beautiful small garden where wrens, silvereye, honeyeaters and thornbills are constantly looking for crumbs.  Elsewhere in the scrub, the fairy wren is a shy, timid creature that disappears quicker than I can blink and a source of great disappointment when I cannot get the picture I want.
My backyard is definitely party time every dusk when the rainbow lorikeets visit.
They love the mulberry tree where fruit is plentiful when in season.
Grass Trees, Wanagarren Reserve, near Lancelin, Western Australia

Like I said at the beginning, the word gregarious is one I know well and associate with people and birds.  But I didn’t know until today, it can also be used to describe trees!

I tend to give a wide berth to those who know it all.  To me, that is a sure sign of someone with a closed mind and where learning is stagnant.

So may the new year bring lots of moments of “Oh! I didn’t know that!”.  There’s a sense of excitement in that phrase that I crave.  May you do too.

Until next time

As always

a dawn bird

In response to RDP – Thursday – Gregarious