Map Your Way

On a busy Saturday, a young man came into the Explore More Stuff lab. He tried two or three of the hands-on activities (free with Museum admission) before taking an interest in a particular activity station. The young man, who I’ll refer to as Will, zeroed in on the LEGO NXT robotics station.

After a few minutes I approached him and asked how the activity was coming along. He answered I have no idea what to do here but wanted to try. I spent a few minutes working with Will on how to use the robot and then set him loose to test, try and tinker on his own. Will had no experience with robots, but seemed to connect with this activity immediately.

Each of us has a unique niche in life. This niche is a culmination of nature and nurture. But I also believe we have a dormant niche I like to think of as gifts. These gifts are interests and talents that are innate but often not realized remaining buried beneath the mire of day-to-day life. A person’s gift can hide deep, like a secret treasure which only can be discovered when the map itself is uncovered. Maps can be found in outings, cultural events and personal interactions. When a map is found and the path to treasure revealed it often inspires a pursuit to learn more and do better… enhancing our own lives and consequently those around us.

As I talked with Will’s family, they told me of his recent difficulties in school and trouble focusing his mind. This discussion took place 40 minutes into Will’s meticulous robotic exploration. Each success he had led to new questions, each failure to new solutions. His focus was deliberate and intense. Perhaps Will had discovered the map to his secret treasure.

Tim Pula: Manager, Explore More Stuff lab

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