Monday, April 25, 2011

COMMUNICATION PROBLEMS

My blog about agreeable aging does not imply that as I age I do not have to deal with disagreeable events and changes in my life.  I am now losing my edge in some of my favorite functions.  One group of these falls under the heading of communication.  As far back as high school I found great satisfaction in three functions: public speaking,  journalism, and music. They have all played a big part in my vocation and avocations.  A few years ago I realized my singing voice was no longer dependable especially at the higher ranges. (Not a good sign for a tenor.) My writing climaxed with the publication my book, "Laying the Roles to Rest in 1999 and dwindled down to an occasional blog called "Charlie Wonders." I began to limit my public speaking when I realized that as a pastor, a pastoral therapist, and in relationships it was much more important to be a good listener than a clever speaker.  Most disturbing right now is what I call a "minimal, minimal cognitive impairment".  In addition to the usual short-term memory loss of this handicap, I lose concentration easily and have trouble focusing on a given speaker task. So my participation in leading worship and teaching Bible is limited. Agreeable aging enables me to reframe all of these functions as opportunities to be a more relaxed participant in worship, Bible study and relationships.  None of them define me as I once thought they did.

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