Have you ever felt that you had nothing to write about ?

This happened to me recently . I jumped to the conclusion that I must be experiencing cognitive decline !

So, I hastily signed up for an on-line ‘Brain Training’ program called ‘Brain HQ’.

It is a fun program, which I believe is effective.

The program assured me that cognitive decline is not my problem.

Instead, I had been experiencing ‘writer’s block’, a common phenomenon.

Perhaps you have experienced this too.

In Psychology, there is a phenomenon called ‘Jumping to Conclusions’.

This is a thinking pattern characterized by making hasty decisions without gathering all the necessary evidence. Conclusion jumping can cause stress for us, and can hinder our relationships as well.

It is a normal to feel apprehensive about cognitive changes as we age.

My husband reminded me that moderate exercise and a healthy diet are important to our over-all health, including our cognitive function.

He also reminded me of the importance of keeping our weight, cholesterol levels, and blood pressure readings within normal limits, as these factors are also important in maintaining healthy brain function.

May God give us the grace, and the wisdom to consider all possible options before reaching hasty, and inaccurate conclusions.

Pictured are ‘Scott’ and ‘Sarah’, in our backyard. We are having a mild winter on our friendly island.

Do you enjoy receiving compliments ?

Both receiving, and giving genuine compliments are pleasurable. And yes, most people, especially children, can tell whether or not compliments are genuine.

We should all be careful not not accidently give ‘uncompliments’. Let me give you two examples of such unfortunate comments.

Never say :’You look good, for your age’. Just say : ‘You look good’, but do not mention age, as this can be interpreted as being patronizing. ( What is someone my age supposed to look like ?)

Another uncompliment that makes me wince is : ‘You must have been attractive once.’ Yikes !

As we age, our souls tend to show on our faces. No amount of potions, lotions, make-up or surgery can disguise a bitter spirit. And, the greatest beauty booster is being in tune with the Holy Spirit who indwells us.

Let us pray for the grace to live in obedience to God’s will, and to follow his commandments, for this is the best healthy aging strategy of all.

Pictured is an outport home after the recent storm of the Century.