CNN’s Headline News had a story this morning about a 92-year-old woman graduating from college. She said she got tired of watching TV and having it turn her brain into mush. (The Hulu folks would probably love to talk to her!)
I thought this was so inspiring that it needed to be shared with you. Also, it reinforces what we have talked about so many times before on this blog: the importance of a life-long education, whether that education is through self-teaching or through formal public programs (or both).
Keeping your brain active throughout all of your life is one of the best things you can do for yourself. It’s one of the reasons I am constantly buying and reading books on a variety of topics. And, it’s one of the reasons I still do occasional consulting work: it gives my brain a thorough workout. (The other reason is that I really, really like money.)
A couple of other active-learners who come to mind as I write this are:
- My grandfather, who passed away about 25 years ago at the age of 99. Up until the day he died, his mind remained clear and sharp, because he exercised it regularly.
- The legendary physicist John Archibald Wheeler. His “Geons, Black Holes, and Quantum Foam: A Life in Physics”, one of the books I am currently reading, is absolutely fascinating. He wrote it while in his late 70′s, and it is written with considerable detail yet with a clarity that makes difficult concepts understandable. Wheeler remained mentally active, alert, and professionally active until his death in his late 80′s.
I have heard that one of the best things you can do in regard to being an active learner is to learn in an area that is totally new to you. Learning more details about your current interests is helpful, of course, but doesn’t “stretch your brain” as much as a new area does. And, in addition to stretching your brain, learning in new areas sometimes give you fresh insights in your familiar areas.
Happy learning!