Smart Talking Syliva Earle

Last night was another lecture series night. A good friend and I have been season ticket holders for the Smart Talk series for several years now. Events are held once a month at Minneapolis' Orchestra Hall.

Last night's presenter was a woman named Dr. Sylvia Earle. I'd never heard of her before, but after listening to her speak, I was in awe. I was also feeling a little inadequate. She knew so much! About so many cool things!

She is a marine biologist, a ground-breaking one at that, who earned her ph.D. in 1966. She is in her 70s, sharp as a knife and fit.

She has logged over 6,000 hours underwater. She lived in a bio-dome type of set up on the ocean floor for two weeks. She holds the world record for deepest solo dive by a woman -- she went down 3,300 feet by herself.

She had a lot to say about the current health of our oceans and our fish populations.

Yet it was these words from her mouth (I'm paraphrasing) that stuck in my mind all night:

Children, she said, always ask her what it takes to be a explorer.

You can't ever grow up, she said. You have to always be like a little kid, asking questions all the time -- why? why? why? You have to have a deep curiosity and a sense of wonder.