To be interested is to be alive. It doesn’t matter what it is that you find interesting just as long as there is an interest. To have your curiosity piqued inspires you to find out more, to try to achieve something which is more difficult or your interest may be purely for your enjoyment.
My father had multiple interests. He was an avid reader, stamp collector and collector of cinderellas. Ah…perhaps your interest has been aroused. What is a cinderella? A cinderella is a stamp or postage imprint put on a letter which is not legal tender. His collection was renown and on his death a booklet of his cinderellas was published.
Richard Peck 1994
My brother and I both inherited a curiosity. This led my brother into the science field particularly world health but he is also interested in so many other things, family history, skiing, climbing, canoeing, photography to name but a few. I too followed with a world curiosity, an interest in learning, writing and reading, ballroom dancing and a particular interest in people.
Indifference, I feel leads to death. “I don’t care” is okay when you are asked what you want to eat (maybe) but not to care about the world around you, what is happening, to be indifferent is not okay. The size of everyone’s world is different but you have to care about that world that is yours. When the passion has left your mind, your body soon follows sliding first into a depressed state and then…..
As you get older the passion does dissipate. I am full of admiration for friends that still stand up as President of the anti-mining-in-town group when she is lives so far out-of-town that she is unaffected by it. Her passion and her belief is as strong as when she was twenty. Mine is slowing. I’ll write letters and attend marches, as does my 85 year old mother but I know the light of my passion is flickering but I hope I will, like my mother, never be indifferent. My husband says of this that as you get older the desire to fight battles goes and you need to choose carefully what you go into battle for, but I wonder if this is not the beginning of indifference.
© irene waters 2014
Indifference in relationships is also a killer. Everyone needs to know that they are special and cared about. Indifference is soul-destroying; it is better by far to have a bit of shouting and argument than silent indifference which stifles and suffocates. We all need love and although the passion may calm a little, the love is still there. The caring is there.
I hope you have interests and feel alive and not indifferent. If you do feel indifference you should look at rekindling the fire, taking whatever steps are needed.
http://www.a-to-zchallenge.com
Reflections and Nightmares- Irene A Waters (writer and memoirist) 
Good “I”! Especially important for anyone contemplating retirement. I’m glad I have a second career in writing, which I hadn’t anticipated. Do you/ will you have a second career?
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Noelle, I think it is great to have a second career and certainly one has to have interests in retirement. I have had several careers with my most recent one being writing. Retirement has given me the time to enjoy it and as is my nature I am now studying it. Cheers Irene
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Nice thoughtful piece, Irene. In your case, it will never be indifference that comes upon you, but merely the lack of energy to fight every fight.
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LOL. zzzzzzzzzz! Cheers Irene
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Excellent lesson here and needful.
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Thanks mewhoami
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Indifference leads to a life of inertia which some deem safe but I feel that all it is a keeping time until you die. Like should be about interest and intensity. Excellent post.
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Thanks Jenni. Inertia is a great word to describe indifference. Cheers Irene
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😀 – oh the latest post about oz is up and I thought I’d stop scaring the tourists so it’s a little less on the – it can kill you side of things.
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You and your brother both seem to be extremely interesting people, in my humble opinion. I also am pondering deeply what my future fields of interest should be.
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I think my brother is a very interesting person. I’m just me. You’ve got a bit of pondering to do I feel. I am interested in what the outcome will be and where your interests might take you.
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Very true. Having interests is so essential to helping you see outside yourself. It allows you to share yourself with the world and in turn care more about others. It’s a big weapon in the battle against indifference.
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I agree. I like your “big weapon in the battle against indifference.” Describes it perfectly.
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Agree. Having Interests is so important to helping you see the world around yourself and having stronger feelings for it. So important in fighting indifference.
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Very true.
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