There is so much talk lately about the importance of getting enough sleep. According to researchers, sleeping the correct amount of time each night can prevent obesitity, prevent certain diseases, and increase your brain power. But is this news really new? Remember the aphorism, "Early to bed, Early to rise, Makes a man healthy, wealthy, and wise?" That saying has been around forever. Apparently our forefathers knew something that we are just now learning.
This made me wonder what other aphorisms might apply to our lives today. What about "An apple a day, keeps the doctor away?" We are reminded constantly about eating fruit and vegetables every day. Some researchers are convinced that we would all be healthier if our diets were more plant based, if we ate more foods in their natural state. That too goes back to our forefathers.
And what about wine? Remember "A little wine for your stomach's sake." I think that actually comes from the Bible. So those who tell us that having a glass of wine is good for our health are only repeating something that has been known since Bibical times. There are also passages in the Bible about laziness and gluttony, topics that are current in today's headlines that tell us that Americans are overweight and need to eat less and exercise more. So all those researchers are not telling us anything new, they are just reminding us of things that have been known for centuries. Think of all the money that could have been saved if they had just listened to their grandmother's wisdom.
Another observation. Have you noticed that when you make a purchase these days, the salesclerk doesn't tell you how much you spent. She tells you how much you saved. At first it was just one or two stores, but now it seems to be everywhere. Go to the grocery store and you will save $45. At the department store, you save $129. The hardware store does the same thing. I have saved so much money this month, I am thinking about buying a new diamond ring.
I have observed lately that there does not seem to be any place to go that is quiet and peaceful. A place where all you hear are birds, crickets, bees buzzing the normal sounds of nature. No matter where you go, you hear people talking on cell phones, typing on laptops, or playing music on their Ipods. What has happened to silence? Remember "Silence is Golden?" Ron and I sit on our front porch in the cool mornings and evenings. All of a sudden we hear someone talking loudly and look out to see a walker going down the sidewalk having an argument on a cellphone. Even at the beach, you can hardly hear the surf for the sound of cell phones ringing. We need to bring back those silent moments. We would all be less stressed and maybe we could start thinking again. We need thinkers. That is how problems get solved. That is how great inventions are discovered. We need to stop the chatter and listen to our inner beings and to each other. Just an observation.
