Elder Care: Hitting the Pavement

I used to pretend that my body was infallible. I used to think that I could go out and party all night, eat and drink whatever or however little I wanted and that I could always force my body to wake up and move. No matter how much stress I put on my body, my brain would just continue to crave all the fun and excitement of the night, and it wouldn't want to miss that much of the day either. This craving would be enough to get my body moving, after all there are beaches to lay out on, trails to explore, and new clubs in which to be entertained. I am starting to realize that pretending my lifestyle is healthy might become a problem; I mean what if I am one of those people who become old?

I have never really been around old people before. I have seen them sitting at Burger King with their coffee, and I have heard stories on the television, but never in real life has a run in with an old person truly presented itself. Recently I traveled home, and there was this old person sitting in the chair that my Grandmother usual occupies. She was incapable of even getting out of that chair without help. Her body is becoming useless to some extent. Despite the fact that her brain is clearly craving to see the sunset or to work in her beautiful flower beds, it can no longer force the body to get up and do those things. She is slowly starting to lose control of her functions, and her body refuses to respond the way she desires.

This all got me to thinking...What if I don't die before my body starts breaking down? I always assumed that I would die around forty or fifty. Don't ask me why. I just have always assumed that it would be short, simple, and enjoyable life for me. That was always Plan A, but the realization that plans in life don't really ever work out they way one expects, has put a damper on all that carefree living. I have always been extremely prone to deep dives of depression (which always put a damper on all the fun), but this is different. This situation calls for action. Big time action.

I need to make a Plan B. I need to start living healthier...well at least somewhat. So I have decided to start running. I figure I have a couple pounds to loose anyways, mostly due to my affinity for beer and chicken wings. (A slightly unhealthy habit that I might have to worry about latter). Running seems to be the best here, because I want a stronger body and I can easily turn it into a competition. For me that is going to be the first step. I need to allow my body to catch up with my brain. That way the brain won't have to push so hard when it wants to hike the grand canyon this fall, my body will be there to crave the scene also.