Hope for the future.

I love to write, in the manner in which other people love to eat. I do it to live, and it satisfies, to a degree, an appetite for self-expression that has been with me, since earliest childhood. In short, I have things to say, and a need to say them. That is the first good part about being a writer. The second good part - in fact, the better part, comes from something I read, by chance, in my random meanders across the Internet.

In a book entitled "Aging and Old Age" by Richard A. Posner, I stumbled on this statement, that imbued me with a definite hope for the future:

"Writing ability, which in the best judges can fairly be termed literary, is an aspect of crystallized intelligence, and is one of the aspects least likely to decline with age until senility sets in."

Later on in the same paragraph Posner notes: "Comparison of the writing style (not intellectual creativity) of the same person at different ages often reveals steady improvement to a quite advanced age, with no decline from that late peak, until shortly before death."

To me this is a phenomenal statement, for it unseats what people generally think of old age. There is, in most people, a belief that old age is decrepit, mentally and physically and that the old are less capable than the young. However, with respect to writing ability, it is clear that the opposite holds true: the old are MORE capable of writing than the young. This, of course, overturns the beliefs and habits of modern publishing - for is it not the young, beautiful, marketable, "star" that they ever seek to highlight, to give big advances to, and to hold up to us, as the greatest of the great? Yet, it is simply not true. That same youngster will be far better in old age, should they continue to write, than they ever could be, when so young. So, too, other, perhaps unknown and unheralded older writers, are likely to be much better writers than the ones who are selected for youthful stardom.

However, that is not to say a young writer can't be brilliant at writing, at choosing just the right words and fashioning beautiful prose (or poetry, for that matter) - of course, they can. Yet, what this distillation of research is saying is that they are likely to be much better in old age, than they were in youth, as long as they continue to write.

Writers don't get old, they get better. However, it is the young who get publishing contracts!

So, should you have your eyes on a young writer with promise: know this, that as the years pass, their talent is not likely to fade, but to grow. That young writer you so admire is likely to grow into a writer you admire even more. Now, isn't that a hopeful thought to hold in mind, as you assess any writer you read? The future of a writer, may very well be much better than their past.

Thus, if you are a writer, don't fear to age, for your talent will grow as you do. If you are a reader, don't fear the aging of your favourite writers, for they will only offer you sweeter words than the ones you have already read, by them.

I am glad I read that article - it makes me feel altogether better about the passage of time. It gives me the hope that, if I am lucky and my health holds out, that the years ahead will be more fruitful than the years behind and that I might grow, one day, into a writer, so much more skillful than I am today. That makes age something not to fear, but to welcome and look forward to, in anticipation of the written works to come.

Your favourite writers are only going to get better.

Happy reading all.

(If you would like to learn more of Ainan Celeste Cawley, 10, or his gifted brothers, Fintan, 6 and Tiarnan, 4, this month, please go to: http://scientific-child-prodigy.blogspot.com/2006/10/scientific-child-prodigy-guide.htmlI also write of gifted education, child prodigy, child genius, adult genius, savant, megasavant, HELP University College, the Irish, the Malays, Singapore, Malaysia, IQ, intelligence and creativity.

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Terminal Cognitive Decline and Death.

However long a life one might live, at some point, it comes to an end. Yet, what happens in those twilight years? Do people generally maintain their mental function to the end - or does cognitive function give some indication of the future to come?

A phenomenon has been observed: that of terminal cognitive decline. This means that aged people often undergo a sudden rapid increase in their rate of cognitive decline shortly before death. This can, therefore, be used as a signal for when the "time is near".

A paper, "Terminal decline in cognitive function" by R. S. Wilson, PhD, L. A. Beckett, PhD, J. L. Bienias, ScD, D. A. Evans, MD and D. A. Bennett, MD addresses this issue.

763 Roman Catholic nuns, priests and brothers participated in the study. They were given an array of 19 different tests of cognitive function an average of 5.6 times a year, to track changes in their mental state. At the start of the study, none of them were demented. The data set obtained was used to find the point at which the rate of decline of mental function suddenly accelerated.

The shocking (for me) observation was that there was a SIX-FOLD increase in the rate of mental decline, an average of 43 months prior to death. 122 of the participants died in the period of the study and their mental function in the years leading up to their deaths informs the conclusions.

The ones who died had lower cognitive function at the outset than those who survived. The survivors, interestingly, showed almost NO DECLINE in mental function. (Thus giving us hope that such a loss of mind is not inevitable). Almost all of those who died showed the accelerated cognitive decline prior to death.

Declines in a very wide range of mental functions were observed in the 3 to 6 years leading up to the deaths. These included degradation of episodic memory, semantic memory, working memory, perceptual speed, and visuospatial ability.

So, if you have an elderly relative who is showing signs of rapid mental decline, it is, probably, wise to spend more time with them - for there is likely to be little time left. Remember the mean time to death from the onset of rapid mental decline, in this study, was only 43 months.

Sadly, the same, of course, applies to ourselves. If we begin to show rapid mental decline it is time to set our affairs in order, as best may be. The loss of mind is a sign of a greater loss to come, in the near future.

Take care all.

(If you would like to learn more of Ainan Celeste Cawley, a scientific child prodigy, aged eight years and five months, or his gifted brothers, Fintan, four years and ten months, and Tiarnan, twenty-seven months, please go to: http://scientific-child-prodigy.blogspot.com/2006/10/scientific-child-prodigy-guide.html I also write of gifted education, IQ, intelligence, the Irish, the Malays, Singapore, College, University, Chemistry, Science, genetics, left-handedness, precocity, child prodigy, child genius, baby genius, adult genius, savant, wunderkind, wonderkind, genio, гений ребенок prodigy, genie, μεγαλοφυία θαύμα παιδιών, bambino, kind)

A chance encounter with an old colleague

Sometimes it takes a chance event to make it clear what is important in life.

A couple of days ago, I bumped into someone I had worked alongside daily, for a year.

He was in his sixties, taller than me and heavier too. He looked at me a little confused and said: "We have met before haven't we?" he began, his face clearly that of a man fumbling through his memories of where and when. "Five times." he said, most oddly, as if giving it a number would allay the impression that he was unable to recall who I was.

"It was a lot more than five times." I said, quietly, looking into his puzzled eyes. It was just six months since he had last seen me - and that after a year of working in the same place and encountering him regularly throughout that period.

I said his name, both forename and surname, then, which I shan't write here. His frown deepened, as he searched for mine. Then I asked him a question about his life that only someone who had truly met him, would know.

He turned away, then turned back and answered.

Later he came to me and used my name. Perhaps someone had told him. His thoughts seemed clearer. It appeared that he had, at last found his memories of me.

The encounter was a sobering one for me, for it made me realize how precious memories are - and how quickly they can be lost. Six months before he did not have such trouble. Since then he had gone through difficult times - and it had told on him. He was much different. I hope he recovers his full capability, again, now that times are somewhat better.

(If you would like to learn more of Ainan Celeste Cawley, a scientific child prodigy, aged eight years and five months, or his gifted brothers, Fintan, four years and ten months, and Tiarnan, twenty-seven months, please go to: http://scientific-child-prodigy.blogspot.com/2006/10/scientific-child-prodigy-guide.html I also write of gifted education, IQ, intelligence, the Irish, the Malays, Singapore, College, University, Chemistry, Science, genetics, left-handedness, precocity, child prodigy, child genius, baby genius, adult genius, savant, wunderkind, wonderkind, genio, гений ребенок prodigy, genie, μεγαλοφυία θαύμα παιδιών, bambino, kind, niño, gênio criança, gifted adults and gifted children in general. Thanks.)