How to Stay Young

Easy answer: learn something new every day. Actually, the pandemic has made this pretty easy to do for those of us who believe it is important and are willing to take the time. Over the last year I have heard people my age say that they aren't tech or computer savvy. Others, have regularly eaten out for dinner, and now they say they don't know what to do because they don't know how to cook that well. And then there are those who think that they can't converse with their grandchildren because they don't understand their computer games or how to text message, etc. Many this year have had issues with trying to become part of Zoom meetings, which, for on-line webinars as well as get togethers with family and friends, should now be nearly mandatory to learn. I could add more to this list. While I lament all the things that I planned and thought that I could and would do last year that didn't happen, closing down because of Covid actually made me open new doors that I might not have even tried to open had life been "normal." Things that I thought I was afraid to try to do, when I had nowhere to go and not much else to do, I actually did try. Wow! They were work, but they were not nearly as difficult as I thought they would be. And I know I am the better and more enriched person as a result. A few days ago I participated in a webinar with Charles Needle about how to use your iPhone (or Android) to take and create amazing pictures. He is a fantastic instructor and I look forward to the opportunity to take an inperson workshop with him at some point. But what came out of this webinar was to learn how to use some iPhone apps that I have had for awhile and never tried to use that much because I didn't take the time before to really learn what they could do for me, or to learn how to use apps I have used "traditionally," but which I now know I can use even more creatively. The above image is my new learning example from yesterday, taken with the Slow Shutter app to create intentional camera movement (ICM) images. I would have never thought to use this app this way. This is a picture I took of the painting above the desk in my office using this app more creatively. Over this past week-end I spent a lot of time with two of my inquisitive and fun grandkids. I introduced them to some new things, too, and they loved having this kind of connection with me. I want them to appreciate the importance of the phrase "inquiring minds want to know" because I know that this phrase is one of the most important aspects of my life and how I keep from being bored and can continue to relate to others these days. Most nights when I go to bed I like to think about what it was that I learned that day, good and bad. Either way, these experiences are keeping me motivated about life. When that ceases, I will have become old indeed.