Month: April 2022

I woke up with a spin on a Skid-Row song in my head: “58 and life to go.” Then, I remembered: “Dude, you’re 59!”

Today is my birthday. It is not a day that I care for celebration. It is a day for reflection and consideration. I recalled postings from the past in which I shared my reflections. These include “Reflections on turning 55,” “Now I am 56,” and “Now that I am 58.”

The question I have every April 30^th is “am I better today than I was last April 30^th?” I hope I am. I have (and continue to) approach this question from a perspective of “well-centered fitness.”

Spiritually. As with each passing year, I continue to see the Universe grow around me. Yes, I continue to struggle to live “I am third.” I am, however, increasingly aware of my need to allow and create space for the soul (my soul and souls of others) to speak. Last year, we were deep in the COVID-19 pandemic and a year without church. That grew to nearly two years, and I didn’t miss the churches were had been absent from. I did miss church (the act of worship) though. It took the push of my 16-year-old son (believe it!) to get us back to church. He led us to an exploration of the traditional Christian faiths. We landed rather quickly at Lake Grove Presbyterian where there is a palpable community and strong sense that it is where we belong at this point in the journey.

Physically. I still have aches and pains—the same aches and pains I have had for decades. I am progressing. I am deadlifting shy of 450 lb.—more than I ever have. I survived COVID-19 without getting sick—or ever testing positive. I attribute this to diet and physical activity. Physically, I still feel great. Really nothing has changed.

Intellectually. Yes, I am still ignorant. My knowledge has undoubtedly grown, but with learning comes a growing sense of not knowing. Time has given me the opportunity to learn and to grow intellectually. In my youth, I was much smarter. Today, though, I know so much more.

Emotionally. I still try to cultivate love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. I practice “hevel.” I check my grattitude.

I recently bought a Ford Maverick HEV. Focusing on trying to get the best mileage possible has calmed me considerably on my commute to work. I am no longer looking at the clock. Instead, I am looking at the “EV Coach” to maximize my time in electric and charging mode—without interfering with other drivers (i.e., without driving too slowly—In fact, I have been exceeding the EPA estimates going around 70 on the highway.)

I am also teaching my son to drive. I am unexpectedly calm and patient. Maybe I am growing emotionally?

Socially. My true friends remain. That is the greatest birthday present one can ever receive. I have a phenomenal wife and two incredible children—the greatest gifts Life has given me. I still don’t need to be liked by others. I feel I am still accepted by those who matter most. We continue the “15-minute check-in,” and, yes, the kids keep joining in. My circle of remote friends continues to grow. Maybe this year, as we return to more in-person interactions, I will find more local community.

Fifty-nine is another mile-marker on a great journey. I don’t want to miss a moment. I don’t regret a minute of the past. I am looking forward to sixty and beyond.

Be your best today; be better tomorrow.

Carpe momento!

“It’s not the load that breaks you down, it’s the way you carry it.”—Lou Holtz

I teach exercise science. One of the topics discussed in several of my classes is overtraining. I teach that overtraining (i.e., training such that one is unable to recover fully, and the body begins to break down physiologically and psychologically to the point that performance declines) is a matter of poorly managing the stimulus-to-recovery ratio. In short, it is not training intelligently. For most of us, we are undertraining.

Over/undertraining also applies to “well-centered fitness”—the Spiritual, Intellectual, Emotional, and Social dimensions, as well as the Physical dimension. It is a matter of the way we carry our burdens. Growth (Spiritual, Physical, Intellectual, Emotional, and Social) requires overload—that we be stressed to a level greater than that to which we are accustomed. It is not the overload that breaks us down, it is the way we carry it (to paraphrase Coach Holtz). Growth requires both stimulus and recovery. Physically, that requires active recovery, sleep, nutrition, and often recovery modalities, such as massage, cold/heat therapy, etc. Growth in the broader (well-centered) sense, also requires better management. That which seems the most overwhelming in life is probably what we need to grow to fulfill our Purpose. We can choose to see it as Purpose (and grow) or see it as our Hell and let is overburden us—to break us to the point that our performance (Spiritual, Physically, Intellectual, Emotional, and Social) declines.

When our burdens seem too great, it is often not what we are carrying but how. It seems too great because we are neglecting one or more of the dimensions of well-centered fitness. The burden seems great because of the way we are carrying it.

Be your best today; be better tomorrow.

Carpe momento!

“Give me a lever long enough and a fulcrum on which to place it, and I shall move the world.”—Archimedes

The power of possibility. Nothing is impossible with the right solution. Archimedes drives this point home with the above quote.

I read into “Archimedes’ lever” two thoughts. One is the basic science of effort. With the right tool any thing can be done. Have a problem? Find your solution. Second is the art of thinking big—aspiring beyond the scope of reasonable (by normal standards). There is

Archimedes is correct to believe that with the appropriate lever and a fulcrum the mass of the earth can be moved by a single individual. (There is of course the challenge of supporting the fulcrum, but assuming the mass of the earth on a stable surface…..)

What seemingly insurmountable challenges are we facing today? Find you level and fulcrum and move the world!

Be your best today; be better tomorrow.

Carpe momento!!

“Everything can be taken from a man but one thing: the last of human freedoms – to choose one’s attitude in any given set of circumstances, to choose one’s own way.”—Viktor E. Frankl

Our lives are shaping us. I believe that we are where we are (no matter how good or painful) for a greater Purpose. We are where we are because of the decisions we have made in the past. The decisions we make today will shape who and where we will be tomorrow. Carpe momento!

It is a matter of grattitude. We choose our attitude in our given circumstances. We choose our way. Our choices have led us, in part, to our present circumstances.

I have often heard the question asked: “If you could go back in time and change one thing, what would that be?” It is tempting to claim one influential event of the past but consider the cascade of changes that might have occurred in our life (and the lives of others) were that event to change. My answer to this question is emphatically, “Nothing.”

Sure, there are many things that I would love to have done differently; people I wish I had treated differently. I often struggle with being in the circumstances I am now. Nevertheless, I would change nothing. My decisions have brought me to who and where I am. The impact I can have and do have in the Universe is because of the path I have taken. My circumstances tomorrow will depend upon what I choose to do today—on my gratitude (grattitude) today.

Choose to take the path of Purpose.

Be your best today; be better tomorrow.

Carpe momento!!

“Develop an attitude of gratitude, and give thanks for everything that happens to you, knowing that every step forward is a step toward achieving something bigger and better than your current situation.”—Brian Tracy

“Develop an attitude of gratitude.” I like to refer to it as gratitude. It is not something that comes easy to anyone. It is also quite fragile. The gratitude we develop and exercise today is easily lost with as little as a slight from another.

Grattitude requires “hevel.” The Hebrew word “hevel” means vapor or smoke. It is translated in the Book of Ecclesiastes as “meaningless”. It can also mean “breath”. I try to make it a practice—a practice of letting things go (something I do rather poorly). I try to take a breath and say the word “hevel” recalling that it is all but a vapor.

Grattitude requires making space for the soul to speak. It requires remembering that we are where we are supposed to be, though maybe not where we want to be.

I need a regular gratitude check. Thus, I write this as a reminder to myself.

Thank you, soul, for reminding me.

Be your best today; be better tomorrow.

Carpe momento!