Dear Dad,
Making the healthy choice is full of awesome surprises.
Eating healthy, exercising, and taking care of yourself has too many benefits to list. Many of them are immediate: mental clarity, efficient metabolism, and adequate energy. And many of them arrive in the future: active living while aging, reduced medical costs, and retaining independence.
When I was in my teens trying to be healthy mostly had to do with wishing to “look good.” In my 20’s being healthy had everything to do with performance in football. And now, I’ve mostly transitioned to the long game. I want to be healthy so I can maintain an active lifestyle as long as possible. So I can hike, ride, swim, help someone move, carry lots of groceries, or while traveling, like I am this week, I can meet up with friends to go for a run. How far? 3 miles, 6 miles, 10 miles? Yes. It doesn’t matter. That’s the picture of health I’m after now.
The great news is there are so many future benefits waiting to be realized no matter your current picture of health. Yes, eating the right foods, consistently exercising, and sleeping well will help you reach your goals in this moment, whatever they are, but just as important, the investment in your health will lay the ground work for the years to come. Invest now and reap the rewards later.
I was reminded of this fact last weekend when I found a little surprise. Saturday was one of the first weekend days this year in upstate New York where the weather was not bitterly cold and the ground was finally completely devoid of snow. (Why do I live here again?) With the sun peaking occasionally through the clouds and the temperature peaking around 60 degrees with only a moderately annoying whipping wind I found myself tinkering in my garden. After a long winter of fallen snow covered leaves, decaying plants, misplaced stones, and a few protruding green roots, I had to clear away the debris. As I pulled, raked, and dug in the dirt I uncovered a few sweet treats waiting for me, left behind from the labor of the previous summer.
What a pleasant surprise! All health choices we make have future benefits. Some are easily apparent at the time and some are future surprises waiting to be uncovered. Either way, what a payout!
With Love,
JSR
You ARE a farmer!!