Day 262 Rewired

 

9/19/2025

   "If you have ever prayed in the dawn you will

ask yourself why you were so foolish as not to do it always;

it is difficult to get into communion with God in the midst

of the hurly-burly of the day."    

Oswald Chambers

 "He withdrew Himself into the wilderness and prayed."

Luke 5:16

 

I recently chanced upon an article and video entitled, Handwriting Literally Rewires Your Brain. Interesting, as my son and I had been talking a day or so ago about how cursive handwriting is no longer being taught in schools. I couldn't believe what I was hearing, as it seemed so ridiculous. I asked him how someone would be allowed to graduate if they could not sign their names on forms or write checks. He said they may know how to write their names, but that is all they are taught now. Being new to Virginia's rules and regulations due to my 35 years of living in New Mexico, plus the fact that my children are adults now, I have lost touch with what is or is not mandatory for children to graduate from high school. In our digital age, how often does one actually sign a piece of paper, and if so, it is not legible, because the signature is penned either by use of a stylus or a finger. If someone cannot write, how can they read? All we see, even in elementary schools, are computers or audio books. I wonder if they have chalk boards in classrooms, or do they use power points? Do they have actual books, or only tablets? Everything is done on a computer, and parents have allowed way too much freedom to their children. Small children are gifted with tech toys from the time they can walk. If a family cannot afford one, the government doles them out to the less fortunate. Gone are the creative toys that encourage and challenge a child's senses to arise, so they can enjoy the art of learning. I cannot imagine a life without writing a letter with pen in hand, or taking notes by actually penning them in a notebook; picking up a book, walking into a library and smelling the old pages, perusing the allure of older, outdated treasure troves of used, antique books discovered on the shelves of bookstores. 

As a child I loved to read, and I devoured the content and adventures found on the pages, where I could escape and enjoy life, if only for a brief period of time. I remember reading to my children, especially my younger son, as he loved being read to before bedtime. I participated in all the reading challenges and book sales at my children's schools. I even bought the ones written in Spanish, so they would love the language of our family. Literature has always been my favorite subject, as it includes all the other subjects and sciences woven into the story lines. The story of a Burma surgeon gave me the desire to become a missionary doctor, a dream that sadly never came true for me. However, I have learned over the years that the subject matter taught today is not the same as when I was a child. Now days everything is judged by what is culturally sensitive or acceptable as opposed to actual history. We learn from our mistakes, yet truth with transparency is not a required subject any longer. Being deemed politically correct is important. But what does that actually mean? 

Now that things are being questioned and evaluated by a government that cares for the safety and welfare of our children, hopefully, things will change for the better. How sad to learn how far behind our nation has fallen with regard to the simple truths that matter. No one really needs to learn anything, because as long as they have a cell phone or a computer, AI can give them the answers they seek in moments. College students have AI write their thesis, and even pastors have been known to use AI to write their sermons. Not too long ago pastors would study commentaries of late greats as they read through the Bible, or better yet, sat with God and listened to the wisdom of Holy Spirit. I even know one pastor who admitted to borrowing the content of my blogs! I'm not a theologian, but I do know my Bible, because I too sat at the feet of a great Teacher who taught me what I needed to know. I must be a slow learner though, because every day when I open the pages of my hand-held, tattered Bible, smelling the delicate fragrance of the handwritten ink notes written on the margins of the pages, I learn something new. May it ever be so.

People are feigning intelligence just to appear knowledgeable when in fact there are few who actually are learned in this age. I heard a story about a person who always wants to have the last word in a conversation, always proven to be right, even when the conversation was totally based on absurdity. One who, during a debate, pretended to need to use the rest room, with cell phone in hand, in order to acquire the correct response. This raises a question to me - why can't we go to the bathroom without our cell phones? Do we need to consult Siri about how to use toilet paper, how much to use when we do not have a bidet to assist?! In a world where everyone is made to believe they are entitled, intelligence, and certainly wisdom, have waned. We are but shells of the people we should be, filled with hope and promise as opposed to the emptiness of true feelings or reality. How sad this makes me. No wonder young people feel they have no hope. I asked a former teacher if, prior to graduation, a guidance counselor had assisted her in choosing her career as a teacher. She said no, and she also told me that she didn't know anyone who had been counseled regarding a vocation or career. I know I wasn't, so why did we have guidance counselors back in the day, and why are there social workers assigned to schools today? If it is because problems with behavior, they missed the mark also.

When children are left alone with their "devices" don't parents realize that they place their children at risk, in harms way, open to AI companions who entice them to give in to their feelings, even encouraging them to end their lives. Do they not realize that it is an open field day for human traffickers who have helpers within the schools who appear much younger than they are, eagerly admitted as students without question, who lure unsuspecting young girls into this dangerous, immoral world with promises of love and a wonderful future. I am personally aware of these tactics, and they work all too often, usually without the parent suspecting a change in their child. Too busy, preoccupied with life. Or the victim is so fearful of the abuser, because of threats on her life or those she loves, even pets, that she tries to cover it up. I am associated with a non-profit whose founder had this happen to her daughter. This does not just happen to girls either. Young boys are also targets. She formed the organization to alert parents of this problem and to assist those who had been harmed, so the predators could be caught and face justice. Sadly, even the justice system has failed in the past. 

I have become aware of situations where even home schooled children are graduating without achieving the basic knowledge or education or life skills needed to face this world we have created in our ignorance and selfish thirst for power and fame and notoriety. It is a shameful place where people have no sense of right or wrong, and truth and morality are not being taught in churches. Just come to confession and repent to a priest or clergy, and you will be absolved of your sins. Kiss the ring of power. The parents work or find a way around it, living off the wealth of their parents who give in to adult children who were never truly taught how to take responsibility or make wise decisions in life. Who give the care of their children to boyfriends, who are recovering alcoholics or drug addicts, struggling to regain a hold on life for themselves much less be responsible for a friend's child. This situation ended in the death of a young girl who had been abused, then murdered.

I have lived a very long life, and I have experienced much in my life. I used to think that I had not acquired much in the way of a good life, because I didn't spend 25 years teaching or work at the same company until retirement. That, in fact, is an honorable accomplishment, especially in a world where rising higher and higher for more and more wealth to buy more and more stuff is now the norm. Staying put in a job speaks of commitment and loyalty, having a great work ethic that is honorable, like our parents. My life was a series of twists and turns, but I am beginning to see that God has had His hand on me for each change, because I chose to continue to live and make something good come from it. Wherever I was employed, I performed my duties as expected, and I always had a strong work ethic. I did leave a position once, because I could not stay where racial discrimination was an issue, so I politely resigned. This angered my family, but eventually, they realized that I had made the right decision. I used my God-given ingenuity and creativity to create jobs, using artful skills. When my health did not allow me to continue going to school, God gave me a different path, and I acquired more skills. Then He allowed me to return to school, finish what had been started. This in itself was not an easy task, as my journey was full of broken promises and dreams, lies, scandal of a sorts, at least in my mind. But yet, God was with me, encouraging, leading, guiding me. The people I thought were my friends proved to be otherwise at times. And now I am noticing the shallowness others have in understanding or even seeing what is actually happening around us. They are content in their ideas of what retirement means, but for a follower of Christ, there is no retirement, not in the sense that the world knows. 

Whatever my life has been, wherever my path has taken me, I thank God for the life He has given me, for the joy of having Him with me always, for never giving up on me, for showing me that I matter in His Kingdom. I pray that I bring Him glory, and I pray that He can use all the knowledge I have gained because of His guidance to help someone be rewired to face this world in truth, with integrity, and with honor. May it be so.