The Bigger Brain

As anyone who reads this blog knows, I talk about what I’m doing and how I feel. On two occasions that sharing has proven beneficial. The first instance happened when I shared initial steps toward a possible surgery to repair my abdominal aortic aneurysm. A friend recommended a surgeon. That surgeon found I didn’t need the surgery at that time. So, I ended up with a more accomplished surgeon at a later date.

The second was more pedestrian. I complained about balance issues coming on with age. Another friend gave me the name of his daughter, a physical therapist, who put me in touch with local physical therapists. I called one. Made an appointment. And got started on a program. Today I’m a month in. Flexibility is returning. My aching back is less so. And I feel as though I’m on my way to becoming a fairly fit eighty-year-old. It’s a good feeling.

The lesson I think is that it pays to talk about what ails you if anyone will listen. And it pays to listen if anyone talks back. I worked for a man once who preached the benefits of the bigger brain. It was the idea that the more ideas you listened to the more likely you were to arrive at a really good solution. Of course, it helps if you know how to sort the wheat from the chaff when it comes to ideas, but that’s a topic for another day. In the end, what I’m saying right now is that when you find yourself stuck, ask for help.