Don't even try, there tain't no rhyme, reason to tie it all together.... such, is/are, the cobwebs of a wrinkly old man's brain.
My first thought was....... old dog, new tricks, as in people. Every Google I Googled talked about old dogs, new tricks. (Not human, which, is what I was aiming for). Meet Levi, a big ole' black lab who looks as if he stuck his whiskers in a pile of fireplace ashes... ie, white on the end... aging... (TBC_)
Levi is 11. He's in a joint (Best Friends) where they attempt to adopt out older hound pooches. Prior, he served a term in prison (not what you think.) It was a program where the inmates worked with hounds to teach basic manners and cues. Levi was a star pupil, picking up tricks easily, frothing actually, to learn more. If he ain't learning, he becomes bored, rambunctious, as in, uh oh, watch out.
There was a video of Levi running this obstacle course doing really cool stuff he'd recently learned, followed by a treat. You go Levi, I hope the right home appears soon. (Shout out to my ex... old, big dogs don't find homes often. As such, often euthanized. Such was a rumor at a nearby shelter. Her, hubby, now proud owners of Gracie, a Shephard mix, enjoying freedom, certainly snacks, goodies, attention, and nifty big ole fenced in yard. Cool.)
Real people. It took a lot of searching to learn, find, anything on old people learning new tricks. I found an article where a Dr. Rachel Wu, a psychologist was interviewed. I listed her name NOT to guard me from plagiarism, but, because it's a cool name to say.. Rachel Wu... Rachel Wu.. Rachel Wu.
Why's it so hard for older folks to learn new things? I ain't gonna use the " around her quotes, rather, regular ole regular type (vs the ital question). Dig? Thx. We are busy. Life is fast. We don't give ourselves time to learn. A baby is given a year to come up with their first word, we give ourselves ten minutes, and if it ain't learned, we move on. (Dr. Wu didn't say ain't, that was me.)
What then, in addition to them seemingly having more time, are the differences us in how kid learn and adults learn? Kids see something new, there's curiosity. We can try to emulate, but it's harder for us. Also, 'scaffolding' as in, kids have a lot of help, parents, teachers, caregivers, neighbors, et al... we usually have to pay someone to help us learn, and, it's even hard to find someone. TBC
Fixed mindset. If we don't know how to do something, we feel it may be impossible to ever learn it. We don't say to babies, I don't think you'll ever learn to walk, so I'm not going to teach you. Victor, this is getting very boring. Sorry, kinda.
And another thing, kids are allowed to make mistakes... if we do, we fear being thought of as senile or something so we give up quite easily rather than be thought of as that. Kids can learn a lot of thing simultaneously, us adults, not so much, we need blinders (to pay attention, coupled with all the external things in our lives.)
This is Victor, not Ms. Wu. (Reminds me of that Love Potion #9 song, "I took my troubles down to Madam Wu, you know that gypsy with the gold capped tooth, she's got a pad down at 34th and Vine....." VICTOR, it's Rue, Madam Rue, and you should be ashamed for referring to Dr. Wu as such. Sorry Doc, kinda, sorta, I am.
About kids and simultaneously (not to mention your boredom with this blog) AND, learning stuff....... My son lived in an apartment complex and there was really cool family, happened to be Hispanic..with five or so young'ns.. (age 6 to 10ish) that usually were outside playing when I pulled in. They were exceedingly nice to me... ""Hi Sir, how are you doing today?" and we'd chit chat for awhile.... then, as I turned to walk in, it was back to EsPanol and I was alway amazed by their combined fluency and age. Young kids, new tricks, us frosty tipped geezers, maybe not so much.
Little things. Loom large in life. Like those kids. Much we take for granted. There are too many little things to count we place in our basket of life. Kids, pets, family, neighbors on our back deck.. perhaps lanwchaired in the cul-de-sac.. ball games, movie night, laughing at the Three Stooges, Tim Conway, Carol Burnett... any, everything of our liking. Small talk. Sweet nothings that are everything.
Finally, a little bit about caring. What better than caring. A friends name came up in discussion recently.. "Haven't seen so-and-so of late... you?" I've heard their mate is not doing very well... needing constant attention so they can't really get away.
THIS. AMAZES. ME. Sadly, as we get to the age of old dogs, time and again we have friends, loved ones, going thru similar. It is very easy for us to breeze thru life and not stop and think, pray, say, "God Bless" to them, and their mate.
So............ inbetween pickleball......... learning Portuguese.... making pottery, whadever.......
Let's periodically stop... close our eyes and think of those amazing folks living devotion, behind the scenes.
Love, Victurd
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