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June Musing from Rebecca Crichton: Harvesting Our Wisdom
It won’t surprise you to know that I cringe when I read or hear that the older you are, the less smart you are.
I first heard about positive aging at a conference in 2011. The keynote was given by Mary Catherine Bateson, cultural anthropologist and author of Composing a Life, among other books. Her work explored life patterns, aging, women’s roles, and systems thinking.
She both warned and encouraged the audience to strive to become “Wise Elders, not Old Fools!” She held us responsible for using the learning and experience we brought to our aging lives to share broadly with our families and our world.
I recently subscribed to a Substack written by Jay Samit, author of The Second Act Advantage. Samit is described as an expert on disruption, innovation, and opportunity. His recent post, Your Brain Doesn’t Peak at 25. It Peaks at 60. Science Just Humiliated Silicon Valley, got my attention.
He reports that there are finally studies showing that aging increases certain kinds of intelligence. The long-held belief that our aging brains only lose capacity as we age needs revising. Our lived experience may allow us entry into the realm of Wisdom. We are smarter in different ways than younger people.
That reality is at the heart of my job. I strive to help others find meaning and joy, engagement and connection at this time in our lives. These years require bravery and endurance as well..
My essay this month, What Helps?, addresses one of the great challenges of aging: our relationship to helping and accepting help from others.
Barry Rosenbaum, a frequent contributor to my associate director Ruth Neuwald Falcon’s Not Just My Blog, advises embracing the full range of life experiences–ups and downs and all—in Can’t Have the Yin Without the Yang.
Our collaboration with Town Hall is on hiatus until October. We continue to appreciate the opportunity to bring speakers and programs related to aging to the Town Hall audience.
June brings us the longest days, inviting us into the many activities that summer offers. May your June bust out all over!.
Rebecc
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