It all fades...

Curious George

Imagine what it was like when you moved to a new place. The first impressions of a place is so vital in shaping your perspective about it. It's so natural for all human beings to be as alert as 'alert' can be when they are in a new place for the first time. They tend to observe and notice not only buildings, trees, cars, people, etc. but also the minute details such as the paving on the road, clothes people wear, the games they play, the streets with or without light, people's laughter, frowns, yawns, and all other features that one can possibly grasp in. It is human tendency to become adventurous and to explore the new place. From some unknown source within ourselves we feel the urge to go through unknown territories and unclaimed routes in order to get more acquainted to our new wonderland!

I have been living in Tulsa, Oklahoma, for the past two months. My husband and I moved here in May, 2010. As much as the excitement was for moving, we were sensitized and stimulated to grasp in all about the new place. We became intoxicated with all the freshness the Arkansas river had to offer us when we moved into our new apartment by the Riverside Drive. We had our own adventures when we ventured out on our bikes, sometimes biking for over 12 miles a day! Our dog Roxy, not used to having flying things around her all the time, would frantically run to chase birds when we tried to walk her by the riverside.

Treasure Hunt

It really doesn't occur to us that whilst we are so engaged in such 'treasure-hunts' we are creating a mental map of this place inside our very brains, or that without any conscious effort our brain starts analyzing every bit of information that one can gather and it starts to instruct us on what's good or bad, what's safe or unsafe, what's ours or theirs! The most interesting thing about human behavior is that after a certain limit we stop exploring, we stop observing, we stop gathering any more information. Is this defined by how much time we venture out or is it defined by the amount of information we have gathered for us to sustain ourselves in this new place? Do you realize the time when the 'new' place becomes 'old' for you? When does it all stop becoming part of an adventure and then become just part of daily errands? When did Roxy stop chasing birds because she was no more delighted to see them 'fly'? Why are we programmed to lose novelty? Why does it all fade away?