Age and Quitting Do This to You

“Age wrinkles the body.  Quitting wrinkles the soul”. — Douglas MacArthur

It’s very difficult, some would even say impossible, to be fit and vibrantly healthy after the days of our youth.

So the big question everyone must ask themselves, “Do I think it’s impossible”?

Got bad news for everyone.  Every day we don’t ask, answer and act, is another day that younger folks are looking at us and saying one of two things:

  1. “What a great example”.
  2. “I hope I don’t turn out like so-and-so”.

It’s Easier When…

It’s easier to exercise and eat sensibly during:

  • Youth – the full pressure of job, Family, mortgages is unknown
  • Mating season – (once we’ve mated, what’s the motivation?)
  • Wake up calls – motivating because of glaring consequences

The reality?  In the big scheme of life, youth lasts say 20 years, then fades quickly.

Humans are born to mate, like all living creatures.  Wake up calls may take a lifetime before they start arriving.

It’s all the other times in our lives that are the real challenge, the real key. Look around people.

Like I suggested a while back, “If aliens found Earth and gave us a pass/fail health grade, what would we get”?

No Expectations?

On the drive to Victory Martial Arts “Safety Demonstration” (recruiting) yesterday, I reminded our son there was no expectation that he enroll and take lessons.

All the children participated, even the first timers.  Our son eagerly lined up.  Surprisingly, two of his friends are members there and graciously welcomed him into the atmosphere.

Off to a great start and then somewhere in the middle it got more intense and he felt uncomfortable with his skill level, and returned to the audience with me.

I could not have been more proud.  He tried something.  He did his best.  I didn’t push him, even though I could have.  He’s nine.  How hard do you push yourself?  He’ll get were he needs to go.  Will you?

Maybe Today?

Maybe today is the day our son finds a physical activity that interests him. He is great on exercising his Mind.  Great with his Spirit. Decent on Money.

Body?  Well, he has a keen understanding of nutrition for a nine-year old. Much better than most adults.

Yesterday, after we pulled away from Twistee Treat, he asked me to call a number.  He said the first ten callers get a free t-shirt.

He passed the flyer up to me in the driver’s seat.  At the stoplight I quickly scanned it.

We were the fourth caller.  So today we go to Victory Martial Arts for a children’s safety demonstration, a t-shirt, and maybe something else.

What Came First?

What came first?:

  1. The chicken or the egg
  2. The ostrich or the chicken
  3. Stick your head in the sand
  4. Chickensh!t

Does it even matter?  It does if you want to be an example instead of a warning.

“I don’t want to run unless I know I’ve done my best.  And the only way I know how to do that is to run flat out until I have nothing left. Running any other way is Chickenshit”!Steve Prefontaine

Same goes for life.