Brain Food!
by Carol Daly August 11, 2008
Do something you've never done before! Take a poetry-writing class; wire a lamp; bowl with your your eyes closed, and feed your brain at the same time. Build those new nerve connections while you're having fun!
So, what do the three replies to my first blog entry have in common? Easy. All of the writers speak of learning. Joyce says, "I am learning." Karen says she's in the "process of learning," and Persephone speaks of sharing what she has "learned AND un-learned with others." (By the way, 75 year-old Persephone Arbour's website is most intriguing. Makes me want to know her better! www.persephonearbour.com.)
Two years ago, I was invited to speak to UM graduate students about the relationship between education and the third stage of life. To prepare for the discussion, I went through my calendar for the previous month. What I realized was that I'd been engaged in some form of "learning," from one to three times every single day. What an "aha!" Learning is what this time in my life is all about! Of course, I defined "learning" broadly—doing something I'd never done before—any new experience. I learn when I visit art exhibitions, attend plays, lectures, classes, figure out how to rewire a lamp, or travel to Oaxaca, Mexico (a fabulous city rich with a lively "zocolo," music, art, dance, archeological ruins, and great people). What I didn't know then, was that by engaging in so many varied new experiences, I was feeding my brain. What a bonus!
Take a look at this paragraph from the Mayo Clinic's website:
"Just as physical activity keeps your body strong, mental activity keeps your mind sharp and agile....If you continue to learn and challenge yourself, your brain continues to grow, literally. An active brain produces new connections between nerve cells that allow cells to communicate with one another. This helps your brain store and retrieve information more easily, no matter what your age." www.mayoclinic.com/health/memory-loss/HA00001.
So, go for it. Do something you haven't done before. Yes, sometimes I'm a bit anxious when I try something new (especially that lamp rewiring!), but almost always, after the fact, I'm happy that I took the plunge and pleased with myself that I didn't hold back. In a future column I'll tell you about my experiences with Facebook (I can reach my granddaughters instantaneously) and the Fringe Festival. In the meantime, how about sharing something new you've done or read or seen that you'd urge other readers to try.
Comments
Judith Fox-Goldstein - 2008-08-20 13:03:46
Thanks for the wonderful column Carol!
I felt compelled to respond and share some thoughts with you.
I came home from work last week, after an extremely stimulating day, and remarked to my husband that "I felt like my brain was growing!'...So, reading the paragraph from the Mayo Clinic was very validating.
I do feel like there are no limits (other than those societal ageism cliches) to what I can accomplish at this stage of my life. I feel like that I'm just beginning to peak as I continue to gain confidence and authority and the anticipation is exhilarating.
When we stop being excited about life or anticipating the 'what's next', that's when I think our spirits begin to drain so... why stop?
I found your remarks stimulating, insightful and informative and I can't wait for your next column! Now, I might be prejudiced because you're my sister, but we live in very different worlds - separated by the Pacific Ocean- and I hunger for conversations like these.
Thanks for the great read!
Mahalo from the Aloha State