Remaining Intellectually Active

Curiosity is one of the permanent and certain characteristics of a vigorous mind.

Samuel Johnson
The Rambler [1758]

Rule Number One: Read daily. The newspaper is a great source of information but so, too, is your local library. Spend a morning discovering the layout of the library. Find the kinds of books you think you might enjoy–fiction, nonfiction, adventure, travel, memoirs–and then borrow one or two of them. If you happen to like one of the authors, visit the library again to find another of the author's work. Why not make a trip to the library a weekly event? Reading books can provide hours and hours of enjoyment; and, too, if you are lost in books you aren't fretting about the minor inconveniences that come with age–like forgetfulness.

Rule Number Two: Learn ways to compensate for momentary lapses in memory. For things that you use on a daily basis, such as car keys, handbag, briefcase, eye glasses, bills, and cash, find a good place to store them in the house and then religiously put them there. For matters that require attention at a later point, make a note for yourself. To-do lists keep your day organized and productive. Writing down on a wall calendar birthdays, anniversaries, and days to pay bills provides just the kind of reminder that will increase your chances of sending cards and paying bills on time. Hanging the calendar on the refrigerator door means that you will probably look at it at least three times a day. Post-Its, on the other hand, can be placed just about anywhere and can remind you of a host of things you need to do for the day. Put them on the dash of your car to remind you to stop at the dry cleaners, the post office, or the grocery store. Place one on the kitchen cupboard to remind you to take your medication. Put one near the phone to remind you to call your mother. As a famous psychologist once remarked: if not memory, then memoranda.

Everyone complains of his memory, and no one complains of his judgment.

La Rochefoucauld
Reflections [1678]

The trick is to make a note for yourself–or, if possible, carry out as much of the task as you can–as soon as you are reminded of something that needs to be done. If it occurs to you that you need milk, immediately write it down on your grocery list. If it occurs to you that you need to replace your coffee cup at work, go to the cupboard, find a cup, and put it in front of the kitchen door. You will be glad you did.

If you think your vocabulary is not as strong as it used to be, start playing Scrabble with your neighbor. Maybe, too, it's time to start working the newspaper's daily crossword puzzle. You might also enjoy a daily visit to Web sites that have word games and word-a-day quizzes (e.g., www.wgbh.org/wgbh/radio/saysyou/ or www.dictionary.com). Practice does make perfect, so practice using the word-a-day when you are talking on the phone with a friend or visiting with the postal carrier. And have fun doing it!

Rule Number Three: Take advantage of your creativity. If you have some experience writing, then build upon it. Write letters to friends, make daily jottings in a journal, start that short story you have been talking about for years. If you work well with your hands, start building bird houses for your family members, repair the rocking chair in the attic, or build a coffee table for your patio. Whatever your expertise, take advantage of it. Being creative means producing, and it's the products that provide some of life's greatest satisfactions.

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