Thanks to Coursera, I am once again taking a MOOC. This time my course is Buddhism and Modern Psychology. My two favorite subjects all rolled into one 6-week package. Kudos, Princeton.

I gotta tell you: I love learning. Before I was old enough to go to school officially, I sometimes went with my grandmother to her third grade class and sat in a little desk by hers. (I wish I had a picture of that!) Since that time, being a student has always been a joy.

But I never thought about “love of learning” as a character strength until I began using the work of Dr. Martin Seligman in teaching my students. Dr. Seligman is the founder of positive psychology, and his website, Authentic Happiness (http://www.authentichappiness.sas.upenn.edu), provides numerous ways for you to find out exactly what it is that makes you “you.” I took the VIA Survey of Character Strengths and learned that my number one strength is “love of learning.” Here’s the description: “You love learning new things, whether in a class or on your own. You have always loved school, reading, and museums – anywhere and everywhere there is an opportunity to learn.” When I saw this description, I sat back in my chair, thinking, wow, I take that so for granted that I don’t think of it as a strength. It’s just there. I am not sure I have ever articulated it to anyone.

So, this week, if you have a few minutes and some curiosity, take this instrument. You have to create a free account with the website, but once you do that, you take the questionnaire and get your results. I’d like to know: who are you? What is your top strength?