What it brought back was another question. I woke this morning to the first brisk morning of the year. I had in my head, at the feet of my conscious, the question, what incentives are societies providing to learn? An obvious way to answer was to remember my reasons why I woke each morning to go to school.
I got up early in life because I didn't have a choice. I remember school being a traumatic place. I remember early on it being the place my mom would leave me. I have vivid memories of the emptiness and fear of watching her walk away. I remember the longing and worry that flooded my day.
As I got older I understood that school was a way of life. It was what was done, without alternative. If I wasn't in school, I wouldn't be like other kids. There were aspects to school that I began to enjoy. The incentives began to come. The first was art. I loved drawing, colors, and crafts. The second was friends. I disappeared into recess. The fun we had left deep memories, so much I can still picture some faces and places.
Around the 3rd grade I was introduced to competitive sports. At this time, I was in a modest catholic school and it had sports teams. I played basketball. This is was what woke me up in the fall mornings. This also sprouted twitterpation. I remember trying to impress girls with my athleticism during these years. If I was a winner she would notice me. It is endearing to reflect on now. I see it as the naive mating ritual for what was to come.
That's it for now.
I find it hard to realize that while I was in elementary school I never really wanted to learn . I was wanting to play and learning to love. I went to school because it had kids who could imagine with me that we were being attacked by Dark Vader and his drones (the other 1st grade class), and they need me to protect the Millenuim Falcon (tractor tire). I see that what I was doing was learning what interested me. What got me up and going to school was obligation first and friendship most. I see that intellect was a by product.