Was Ponce de Leon on the Right Track?

Have you ever noticed that the older we get, the greater the tendency to take the easy way out?  You know, it's "the less I do, the easier I'll have it" approach!

Hmm...

Studies on aging have consistently shown that in addition to exercise and diet, it's the "continuing" challenges that stretch our brain, create new pathways, and ultimately, keep us young.  So why is it that so many of us ignore the facts?  (As my dad used to say, "Don't confuse me with the facts!")

Blogging is an entirely new concept to me.  New, that is, in the grand scheme of things.  I've come a long way in the past 7 years, when I had absolutely no idea what a Blog was!  Now, of course, I know that "blog" is short for Web Log and yes, I had to show off that tidbit.  LOL!  But what's more important is that because of blogs, I'm still learning.

Certainly blogs help us to reflect on life, and some of us use them to educate others, too.  But to me, the biggest challenge of blogs is where to post them, how to associate them with certain tags, what programs to use, and how to link them all to one spot!  YIKES! 

THAT is the tough part and yet, the MOST important:  Learning to do new things and continuing to stretch my brain into new shapes.  I already KNOW how to drive.  I already KNOW how to type.  I already KNOW how to use a computer. 

It's what I DON'T KNOW that is exciting and energetic. 

And I'm sure that what my 95 year old friend, Jane Hoff, discovered long ago:  the secret to staying young is to be willing, at any age, to continue to passionately learn new things!  Maybe that's why she learned computers at the ripe "young" age of 90, or has recently learned to SKYPE her best friend, Jackie Autry (yes, THAT Jackie Autry, widow of the late cowboy singer, Gene Autry).

Jane is right; Juan Ponce de Leon was right.  The Fountain of Youth DOES exist, especially...between your ears!