Most of us have probably resolved to move more, eat better and – perhaps – lose a few pounds in the new year. All very commendable. But as I am worrying about the nation’s expanding waists, I worry more about the state of the world generally. People are not only fat, but they are sad, too, and lonely. There might be a relation between being overweight and being depressed (eating fresher foods and exercising more will increase endorphins in the body and make people happier).
But a person is not an island, and I think building a better world needs the effort of many people combined. Emphasis on “combined” – as we do not amount to much alone. But together with friends, loved ones, family, community we can tackle everything.
Fad diets won’t work in the long run – but smiles and friendliness and lending a helping hand here and there will go a long way. Six-pack abs are a fantasy - a body that is healthy must not necessarily look like an advertisement - it just has to function well. And too much exercise can will ruin joints and muscles. And in the end, all beauty will end up on the compost heap anyway.
A beautiful smile and a helping gesture, however, might never be forgotten. Let’s dream of better things than weight loss – things like ending war, poverty, ignorance, bigotry, loneliness. And by distributing cheer and much-needed help all year long we might, accidentally, run around a bit and shed the pounds … unthinkingly. I want the world not lean and mean, I want it friendly and livable and caring.
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Blog: On Health. On Writing. On Life. On Everything.
Loved Ones
August 1, 2010
What is the most important part of your life? Your job of saving the world? Your career as a great artist? Becoming rich and famous?
Mine is my family. The small one and the wider one. We have yearly family reunions with about fifty people, in different locations so that all have a chance to attend.
But today I am writing about the small part of my family. My husband and son are on a hike. On a rather difficult hike. I am sitting here at home biting my nails. Perhaps my husband should have married a more adventurous wife. I love walking and weekend hikes. But out there, in the real wilderness, I could not even carry my own backpack.
What if …
What if something happens to them?
We all have those black thoughts, and what they teach us is that we should love and care while it lasts, because even in the best of cases, it will not last forever.
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