I had a conversation last week with a teacher from the public school system in which she described a "staggering lack of curiosity," among her students. Even the bright ones. And of course, being one who grew up in a time when curiosity was somewhat fashionable, I am curious whether the lack of curiosity might be a symptom of another recently described disorder, "Nature deficit disorder." Now don't go asking at your doctor for pills, and don't go looking in your DMR for NDD as an accepted psychological disorder. Don't try to claim the costs of your next vacation on your health insurance. It won't work. But, in case you haven't noticed, at one time human beings lived in tents, teepees, wigwams and caves and we lived much more closely in harmony with nature than we do now.

So what are the costs involved? What price do we pay for luxury and comfort? Instead of being tuned in to our natural environment we are tuned in to other things. Like what Paris Hilton was wearing at her last arrest or whether OJ has a real Rolex or is it fake?

We have been presented the luxury of filling our lives and our heads with meaningless drivel. Can you see perhaps why children might give up on curiosity? They can safely do so. But lead your children on foot to the forests. Immerse them regularly in nature. They will awaken.