You can see those people that want to keep their mind sharp, and others that just slowly fade away…On the flip side, sometimes people try to keep their mind sharp and it just doesn’t, and sometimes people don’t care but it stays sharp. But rolling the dice of chance throwing intentionality to the wind.
But our human effort does count. For a lot. We can be like Ed that seeks out new opportunities to grow, do more, and learn. Or we can be like Jim that sorta retires and doesn’t do much….not only do you allow your mind to dull and begin forgetting things because, well, you don’t exercise it, but you also repeat yourself since the quality and quantity of information you possess shrinks.
It’s not just a question of what you were doing for 20 or 30 years, stopping, and resting on your laurels…Respect, wisdom, and wanting your life to mean something matters. Sure, you may or may not sit around all day but are you really adding any value? Does your life really mean much? Not that we should view ourselves in the utilitarian manner, but what are we doing for the next generation, what are we doing for society, what are we doing for family and friends and those around us? Do we even wrestle with the philosophical question should we work for the benefit of the next generation?
For some it’s bringing a smile to its face, some it’s building a company, still others it’s searching out meaning in learning what that means… We’re all different, we all have different goals and aspirations and dreams — even if that’s figuring out what our dreams and aspirations are — but without meaning, what is life? Without purpose, why do we keep going on? Without reason we tend to slip into depression and just lose interest in life and the desire to go on to be fruitful in and create; we tend to become consumers at that point and simply suck up time, effort, energy, inspiration from others for no real reason, for no purpose.
That’s why it’s important to keep your mind sharp, to keep learning. I beg you. That provides us much joy as a reason to live, desire to better society, and make this world a glorious, happier, and more lovely realm to live in. And hopefully we’ll remember it.
Jeff Beaumont 