"At least I have........this day."

Every Thanksgiving since I can remember, someone at the table has said, "I'm thankful that we have our health", myself included. Little did we know that incurable chronic illnesses/diseases/syndromes  were lurking in the shadows of nearly every chair. I almost have to laugh at it. It's better than the other option.

 People like to say, "Well, at least I have my health." I've been thinking a lot lately about that statement and perspective. Billions of dollars and probably billions of cumulative hours are spent each year on products and programs to help us maintain, repair, renew and improve our bodies to reach our best as relative to our culture. Whether it is for "health" or asthetic "wellness", it seems to be a blurry distinction if at all worth discerning. As one who loves to exercise, I must admit it is not always for reasons void of "appearance" or turning back the biological clock that in many ways will tick on regardless of my efforts. But, lately, I can't help but think about what life would look like if just as much or more effort was put into the things that tend to go on living longer than our looks and the strength of our bodies.

 Volunteering at my grandmother's memory care facility has been heart-breaking and heart-warming. There are retired doctors, teachers, pastors, mothers of five children, world travelers, athletes. Photos of their past are preserved in sparkling glass at the entrance of each of their doors. Standing strong, living life to the full, engaged in activity. Then, you turn the knob and enter a different world. Most of them are wheelchair bound or stooped over a walker shuffling their laps around the building in their swollen stocking feet. Many times, they are crying but not able to say why. They lived a full life but their minds and bodies went awry. Is it because they didn't eat right? They didnt exercise enough? They didn't take the right vitamin or rub the right essential oil on their feet?  Is this what we assume? For the most part, I am doubtful. They are human. We live in a broken world of disease. We grow old. Our bodies and minds grow old. We can't stop it. Not to say that we shouldn't gently respect ourselves and be responsible for what we have. I'm just saying....it won't last forever. Not until GOD renews our bodies on the other side will we live forever young.

So, what are those "things" that we should put more time/money/effort into? Im asking that of myself. From what I have learned of the elderly, the sick, those who have passed on and those left behind....I want to live for what I value the most..EVERY DAY. Im going to write down my thoughts and things I have learned because there may come a day when I can't articulate them anymore.  I am going to start giving more of my time to loving, listening. Im going to try to smile more. Im going to invest more time and money into building memories, relationships. Im going to stop thinking so much about my waist size and whether or not there is a chemical in my granola bar. Im going to try to put more time into something that will last...not my body, not my mind....but my legacy. Yes, I will continue to eat gluten free because I have Celiac disease. Yes, I will give myself an injection every night to stave off relapses with my M.S.. Yes, I will read more than the comics in the paper to keep my mind sharp. Yes, I will swim and go easy on the chocolate. But, I know that someday, no matter what I do, it will start to crumble. I may make it to 90 or 103 like my grandmothers who are still striving today. But, when/if I get to the point where I may not even know who I am, I hope that my legacy defies my shell. Im 44. I guess it's time to figure out what exactly that will be. I cannot say, "At least I have my health", but I can say, "At least I have this day."