Dr. Bhattacharya showing a BMI chart by educational level
Good Morning, God!
Yesterday morning, I heard Professor Laura Carstensen say that educational level was the best predictor of longevity. My response was that I didn’t think it was so much the “information” gained as it was the self-discipline it takes to get educational degrees. Doing the “smart” stuff to live longer requires self-discipline.
Then that afternoon I saw Professor Jay Bhattachaya’s slide of the the population’s growing Body Mass Index (how fat we are) by educational level. High school dropouts have the highest BMI and then high school graduates, next come the folks with some college and there at the “least fat” level were the college graduates. Mind You, God, we are ALL getting fatter — but for the last 30 years or so, that breakdown by educatioal level was consistent.
Later, God, I thought back to Professor Carol Dweck’s talk on Learners and Non-Learners. Learners have a Growth Mindset. They think that effort pays off. They believe that they CAN learn. She even thinks IQ is subject to growth — and why not! So, it isn’t just a matter of self-discipline (not my favorite virtue) but also of the self-image of ourselves as a Learner . And Dweck has been TEACHING the Growth Mindset to children, college freshmen, and business leaders. It can be taught!
I’m smiling, God! You’ve been waiting for “us” to catch up to Your Message — that we can become “new creatures” in Christ. More loving, creatures. More giving, creatures. More forgiving, creatures. Indeed, creatures who are ambassadors of reconciliation.
I am afraid, God, that is not how we look to the world. No, it is worse than that. That is NOT what we are — with beloved exceptions. Aaah. But I am not giving up! I KNOW that YOU want to help us GROW toward You. Let’s DO IT!
Story teller,
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