What’s Your Legacy?
A Call to Boldness to Invest in the Next Generation - As part of the application process to a seminary eighteen months ago I created a resume. The exercise forced me to document major accomplishments in my life. After printing the final draft of my curriculum vitae I felt a great sense of fulfillment to see my modest personal and professional achievements on paper: entrepreneurship as a teenager, participation in college athletics, study abroad experiences, fluency in a foreign language, multiple professional achievements and awards, steady civic engagement, and the creation of successful businesses.
Knowing a Homebuyer’s Motivation
No two home buyers are alike, but they share similar motivations. As a realtor I need to understand my client’s desires, their likes and dislikes and most importantly why they are buying. The range of motivations is a cross-section of human desires. By understanding my client’s motivation I can streamline the house hunting experience. I can save them time, they will have an enjoyable experience and will find a home that much more quickly.
Lifelong Learning
Improve Your Mental and Social Fitness
Researchers at Stanford University found that memory loss can be improved by 30 to 50 percent simply by doing mental exercises. The brain is like a muscle - if you don't give it regular workouts, its functions will decline. Suggestions include:
- Keep up your social life and engage in plenty of stimulating conversations. Here in the Valley we have many venues for socializing. Lehigh Valley Active Life in Allentown has daily programs meant to keep you active and engaged with other folks.
- Your community centers also have activities for you to try. They have outings and trips that you can enjoy and usually at affordable prices. You have the added benefit of meeting new people when you try these activities.
Hospitals Offer Resources to Develop Your Interests
Pursuing a new interest, skill or activity is a great alternative to making – and breaking – New Year’s resolutions, but where do you start? In addition to colleges, universities and senior centers, consider visiting the website of your local hospital. “Many hospitals and health centers offer programs to help members of the community improve their mental and physical health condition, as well to become better educated about health-related topics,” said David Yanoshik, associate vice president, marketing and public relations, St. Luke’s University Health Network. “For example, St. Luke’s lists many of these programs on the home page of its website. Just visit, sluhn.org, scroll down to the Event Calendar and click on ‘view all.’ It’s very easy to find something that might interest you.”
Smile - Life Can Be Bear-y Funny
A priest, a minister, and a rabbi want to see who’s best at his job. So they each go into the woods, find a bear, and attempt to convert it. Later they get together. The priest begins: “When I found the bear, I read to him from the Catechism and sprinkled him with holy water. Next week is his First Communion.”
“I found a bear by the stream,” says the minister, “and preached God’s holy word. The bear was so mesmerized that he let me baptize him.”
They both look down at the rabbi, who is lying on a gurney in a body cast. “Looking back,” he says, “maybe I shouldn’t have started with the circumcision.”
When To Go To The Emergency Department
In recent years we’ve heard about the importance of not going to an emergency room unnecessarily. Although sometimes it’s obvious that you need emergency care, other times it may be less clear. When deciding whether to visit your nearest emergency room, Rebecca Pequeno, MD, Chair, Emergency Medicine, St. Luke’s University Health Network, suggests you first ask yourself how quickly does the person in distress need help? If someone’s life is at risk or they could be permanently disabled, don’t hesitate, call 911 immediately. Examples are chest pain, difficulty breathing, stroke symptoms, heavy bleeding, and a fall where the person can’t get up or is unconscious.
