Never stop learning. As long as you live, there is always an opportunity to learn. Because if you do not learn you will not be able to give back. Have an open mind like John of Damascus in the 8th century, Thomas Aquinas in the 13th century, and Karl Rahner in the 20th century. They not only brought new ideas but developed existing ideas. Have a commitment to Tradition because it carries the experience of the people of God. It is our responsibility to be open to others and to love others. This is the way of Christ. But how can we love them if we do not know them? In the ancient traditions, knowledge was not meant only for the objective intellectual mind but also for the subjective experience of my fellow people to the point that the marital sexual act was referred to as knowledge. For example, Joseph's committment to the virginity of Mary the Mother of God was referred to in the Gospel as "He did not know her." It meant he did not have sex with her (i.e. did not know her deepest experience). We know that Mary was fully in love with God that with her obedient cooperation she considered herself only a servant and He became flesh of her flesh by the power of the Holy Spirit.
Do we learn through our ideas only? No. Read again. We learn from experience more than we learn from intellectual ideas. Keep this in mind and heart.
