The aging brain: Why getting older just might be awesome
http://www.cnn.com/2012/06/19/health/enayati-aging-brain-innovation/index.html?hpt=hp_bn12
Though my previous post indicated that my brain was atrophying, I in general I feel that getting older gets you smarter (unless, of course, you are a moron). Though I am still not quite old enough to deal with age discrimination, I can see that train approaching through the tunnel and am quite aware of its potential. Simply being old is not enough to be smarter, one has to work to think and thinking is often painful, but it is pleasant to read something like this after so many articles that have discussed the bad side of getting old (not that getting physically older is great, it sucks, but at least there appears there may be tradeoffs).
I have always ascribed to the notion that old age and treachery will overcome youth and enthusiasm, even when I was younger. With age comes the potential for wisdom and with wisdom comes the ability to anticipate and anticipation not only allows for a more effective outcome with less effort (thus dramatically making up for declining physical abilities), it allows for the ability to co-opt the energy and effort of the youth and turn that to your benefit. Sadly, I am not smart enough to apply that to maneuvering our boy and resort to physical threats (largely threats, anyway, though I warn him his mom won’t always be around to protect him). I have learned that it is one thing to know the path and another thing to walk it (very Morpheus of me, eh?). Perhaps as I get older still I will learn the ability to actually apply the wisdom I have gleaned over the years, but some days that seems very far off indeed.
