Avoid Judy and Sally
When I was young I found it interesting that my mother never liked to hear any news about sickness or death. That was a contrast from my dad who would dwell on anything negative in life. When my wife Patti and I moved to California years ago and I would call home the first thing my dad would tell me was who all had died since the last time I spoke with him. Now that I am on the back stretch of life I understand and agree with the way my mother thought.
Today we can diagnose our latest ailment very easily via the internet. You don’t even have to do research because there are numerous medical articles available by simply opening your web browser. Some examples of these “pleasant” topics include: 5 signs your pancreas is in trouble, how to tell if Alzheimers is in your future and are you a candidate for a stroke? Personally, I would much rather worry later after something dreadful happens than concern myself now with an exhausting list of health issue possibilities that I may face in the future.
Now you may wonder what all of this has to do with exercise, which is an activity I tend to avoid (okay, I’m digressing a little with the subject matter). Well, I don’t completely abstain from exercise because I do swim 3 times a week, although it is not a vigorous workout that would duplicate a Michael Phelps training session. To justify my thinking about exercise I lean more toward relating life longevity to genetics than I do to going overboard with physical exertion. My parents lived into their 90’s, never exercised and never ate a meal containing less than 4 fried dishes (I’m not sure cholesterol had even been identified when they were alive) so I’m hedging my bets that their “staying power” was passed on to future generations. Of course, people reading this that never go anywhere without their Fitbit and insist on walking 10,000 steps every day will not agree with my thinking. To them exercise must not only be a part of their daily lives but it is also something they must share with anyone who is trapped into listening to them. A typical California conversation might go something like this -
Judy: “I went to the gym this morning for my yoga class and then headed to the beach for a 5 mile walk. After my vegetable smoothie for lunch I was able to squeeze in a 1 hour cardio session on our stationary bike before picking up the kids at school.”
Sally: “My personal trainer told me I needed to focus on my core so I am training now to participate in the next triathlon in New York when Scott goes back east to present his new technology company to some Wall Street investment bankers.”
Judy (in at attempt to escape because the conversation shifted away from her): “Good luck and I hope it all goes well. Michael and I would love to hear about it when we get back from Paris.”
To wrap this up, I must admit that my thought process may not have been easy to follow, but the bottom line is this: when it comes to my health I’ve resigned myself to delay worrying until it’s time to worry.
And, on a separate matter, if you’re ever in California, try to avoid Judy and Sally.
enough