Because I Can Fitness Matters
"Because I can" he replied, when I mockingly questioned my husband's decision to pull open and pass through the heavy wooden doors that flanked the auto-open entrance to great hall on MIT's campus. This unexpected response stopped me dead in my tracks. Ashamed of myself, I realized in that moment what the heavy door represented to him, so in solidarity, I backed away from the automatic entry, and together we pulled and passed through. Since that day, those three little words have become our mantra, "because I can" is a constant reminder to never take our "ability" for granted.
That was 20 years ago. We were young and fit; on top of the world-new degrees, new jobs, new baby-everything was going according to plan. And then, it wasn't. We learned the harsh life lesson that there are things we cannot control, like illnesss. The disease that Dean was served was rather unsavoury: ugly and incurable, but treatable. We were derailed. His once able body was broken.
Everyone can relate to this in varying degrees. You don't truly appreciate your health or strength until you get sick or sore. Our vitality is expected and unnoticed, so when it is suddenly gone we not only grieve for it, but lament our flippancy.
Fortunately, not everyone needs to get smacked down to figure out that life is fleeting, and fun. But since we did, we have to acknowledge the flipside of taking a beating-the lessons learned.
First, we will never have a flippant attitude about health and ability. Not a day sneaks by without a nod of recognition, a prayer of thanks, and a quest to do something-just because we can.
Second, we are keenly aware that life offers no guarantees. Regardless of ambition or accolades, wealth or willpower, no one is ensured a strife free life. We often use the well worn phrase "hope for the best, but plan for the worst," then forge ahead with eyes and arms wide open.
Finally, take care of what you've got! You get one body and one shot. Treat your body like the temple that it is. Most things are beyond our control, but we know-WE KNOW-that in order to live life to the fullest, we've gotta do our part to take care of ourselves. Fitness matters.
I just turned 49-halfway home-and I must admit that things are not as effortless as they once were--like reading small print or doing cartwheels--but for as long as I am able I'll work with what I've got. It's not always easy to exercise or say no to snacks (I indulge in buttered popcorn and Pinot cuz I'm not crazy), but then I strap on my Fitbit and find something fun to do.
Fitness is a very personal term. Your definition of fitness will be influenced by your interests (what's fun for you), physical abilities, and goals. For us it has been a constant endeavour to consciously and regularly choose to do ordinary activities like:
climb the stairs, park far from the door, carry 10 bags of groceries, sleep more hours, eat healthy food, drink lotsa water, go for check-ups, shovel, mow, and dance in the kitchen. Depends on the day, but not a day goes by without some attempt to FIT it in.
So that when the opportunity comes, we are ready, willing and able...
to do extraordinary things.
Every day is a gift, an opportunity to choose what we are going to do with it
So, for as long as we can, we want to keep our options waaaay open. There are many places to go and things to see that simply cannot be captured on a camera, or read about in a story. You just have to be there.
Magnificence can only be truly appreciated in that precious moment, in that glorious place. So our plea, our challenge, is to do what you can, where you're at, with all that you've got to stay fit, and bendy, and strong.
So now, when we see each other on the stairs, or at the gym, or carrying bags to the farthest corner of the supermarket's parking lot, we won't ask why, we'll know, it's "because we can."
1 Corinthians 6:19-20
19 Do you not know that your bodies are temples of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God? You are not your own; 20 you were bought at a price. Therefore honor God with your bodies.
To see photos of our Dash through China, check out THE GALLERY at the bottom of THE PROJECT page of our website.
