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Once you were a child. Once you knew what inquiry was for. There was a time when you asked questions because you wanted answers, and were glad when you had found them. Become a child again, even now... You have gone wrong. Thirst was made for water; inquiry for truth.
C. S. Lewis
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Interpretation

What this quote means

This quote emphasizes the importance of curiosity and the pursuit of truth, urging us to return to a childlike state of inquiry.

C. S. Lewis highlights the inherent curiosity found in childhood, a time when individuals are naturally driven to seek answers and understand the world around them. He suggests that as we grow older, we often lose this thirst for knowledge and truth, becoming complacent in our understanding. The quote urges us to rekindle that childlike wonder and relentless quest for truth, emphasizing that just as our thirst necessitates water, our desire for knowledge demands a pursuit of truth.

Themes

CuriosityTruthInquiryChildhoodKnowledge

In practice

Example use cases

This quote is perfect for a motivational talk about rekindling curiosity in learning environments.

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The instrument through which you see God is your whole self. And if a man's self is not kept clean and bright, his glimpse of God will be blurred
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