I work in healthcare as I have always wanted to as a young girl. I was so excited to find my niche and I did within the elderly community. I love working with our “forgotten population” but after a few months I have noticed myself taking the stairs more often, not smoking, trying to drink less wine, and watching what I eat. I never, until now, consciously sat down and said to myself “today you will take better care of your body”, but that’s what I have been doing.
Every time I see an 86 year old with lung issues taking a smoke break I cringe. When I see an 81 year old woman with high blood pressure eat pork rinds I almost faint in my disbelief. I remember coming home after a week at my new job and telling my boyfriend, “I know some 80 year olds who are more mobile and able than some of my 60 year olds”. I’ve seen everything from a rotted teeth woman chewing a MilkyWay to her 87 year old husband going for a swim.
This got me thinking. Aging is inevitable, unless someone has been hiding that fountain of youth, we are all going to become slower, our bones will become thinner, along with our hair, our memory will dull, our vision will blur and so on and so forth. But why not strive to offset this as long as possible? My own grandmother died at 55 years young. She had destroyed her body with bad eating habits and alcohol for years. What am I doing today that will ruin me tomorrow?
Just my two cents. Losing weight is amazing and all but being able to take the stairs at 75, I’m thinking that’s a privilege not offered to many. Having the strength to shower myself without assistance, a blessing no doubt. What are you doing today for a better tomorrow?
-J.S.