Youth through Learning
“Try to learn something about everything and everything about something.” Thomas Henry Huxley, British surgeon, author
One exciting thing in life is knowing that we can grow to one hundred and still learn new things. In fact, we may grow to one hundred because we are learning new things. We may avoid Altzheimers’ disease doing the same. These youthful, not young folks are inspiring. For instance, did you know that sexy comeback singer Eartha Kitt, blacklisted by Richard Nixon in the 70s for her stance on Vietnam, says “I am learning all the time. The tombstone will be my diploma.”
It’s also exciting to note that the sharpest tack may be in the oldest box. In the small town where I live, there is a preponderance of elderly folks who retire to this inexpensive area. Some truly surprise me with their passion for learning. One neighbor, age 82, submerges herself in learning experiences – even though she can’t walk without assistance and is housebound for long periods. How does she do it? She does crossword puzzles — with her dictionary at hand. She watches court TV and outguesses the judges. She plays Scrabble whenever she can find a partner. She tries out new recipes even when she has to hold onto her kitchen counter to manage the cooking part. She’s witty, youthful and one of the sharpest tacks in any box.
Another neighbor, a single mom and now grandmother who only managed to finish freshman high school classes uses the library as her adult education center. She picks up books at random as she wanders through the stacks, guided only by the titles’ ability to arouse her curiosity. “It stretches my mind,” she says. When she finds one that teaches, she digs into the subject.
Even wit can be learned. A rather serious friend started collecting little pillows with embroidered sayings on them. Now she and everyone else laughs when they see one embroidered with white dog’s bones on her sofa which reads, “In dog years, I’m dead.” Another says, “Here lives a wild, wacky, wonderful woman.”
Learning something new every day is possible if you pay attention.
Meditation for the Day
A man only learns in two ways, one by reading, and the other by association with smarter people” Will Rogers, American humorist and entertainer
Action for the Day
Today, I need to know: Do I have a public library card – the biggest bargain in town? If not, how do I get one? And, who do I know that is smarter than I am and how do I get close enough to them to learn from them? One clue: Ask them about what they like to do best. Everyone likes to talk about themselves.
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