50+ Lifestyles

PUBLISHER’S CORNER

By Eloise Graham

As Eloise takes some well-deserved time away, please enjoy an encore appearance of this column from her archives.

Pondering Random Thoughts and Opinions

The other day I was listening to a news piece about robots and artificial intelligence, known as AI. That got me thinking about AI. There are some good aspects to this research and it’s use. Hasbro is working with automated plush animals that will remind seniors when it is time to take certain medicines, can sense a medical crisis before it happens, and will be companions and a comfort to people. All of this is good. However, there is a downside. Many fast food places and restaurants are replacing servers wth robots. No human interaction there. Stores are replacing “stockboys” with robots. And so it goes. But artificial intelligence? Shouldn’t we work at perfecting real intelligence? I see the first step to this as learning and using common sense. A thought to ponder.

Speaking of common sense… has parenting spiraled out of control? Do you look at your grandchildren and great-grandchildren, worried about their future? About their family life?

There are a lot of books telling parents how to be parents, what to do and what not to do. Often one self-help book contradicts the next one read. In my opinion, there is a great guide book out there, but it is seldom read. It is called “Proverbs” and comes in a library with 65 other books. Many of today’s parents don’t know about it, or want to read it, or push religion and structure on their children. So they won’t read the Bible. But the book of Proverbs is a great common sense instructional guide for living and good advice for even the secular. A thought to ponder.

I pondered the definitions of “proverb” and “proverbial.”

Proverb – noun – a short pithy saying, in general use, stating a general truth or piece of advice.

Examples should include:

• Train your child in a way he (she) should go and when he (she) is old, he (she) will not depart from it.
• A rolling stone gathers no moss.
• Discipline your children while there is hope. Otherwise you will ruin their lives.
• It is of no avail to lock the barn door after the horse has bolted.
• My child, obey your father’s commands, and don’t neglect your mother’s instruction.
• The pen is mightier than the sword.

Proverbial – adjective – of a word or phrase referred to in a proverb or idiom.

Examples include:

• The proverbial child is like the acorn that doesn’t fall far from the tree.
• The proverbial rolling stone.
• With the strength of the proverbial pen.

You get the idea. Ponder some of your own.

Other thoughts to ponder:

What is the grand scheme of things? Are we a significant or insignificant part of this huge cosmos we live in? Why were we created? Why are we here?

Now that I have given you fodder to contemplate, question or agree with, I will leave you with one parting thought/joke that I read on Facebook:

“I bet that our entire universe is just in a tiny glass jar placed neatly on a shlf in an alien child’s room. It was a science project and only scored a C-.”