4.29.2005

Anthem for Running

a 'lil bit of this - a 'lil bit of that
'lil bit of everything - get cha right on track
it's not how you look. it's what you feel inside
i don't care when - i don't need to know why

ya; it sures feels good to be alive
someday i'll be 18 going on 55! - 18 'til I die.
ya, there's one thing for sure - i'm sure gonna try.

- Bryan A.


'til I die. Death has several aspects. When it is not you it can be a time for reflection, for celebration of the life just lost; a collection of memories shared and savored in poignant and sometimes humorous eulogies. We come together to share a common bond of our own mortality. We indulge a funereal period and go on about our lives. On the other hand, when it is you, death is wholly personal and frustrating. You cannot stop it. It is an experience you cannot share. It is the loneliest of times. There is no one to tell how it was to pass from one place to the other. You hope your remains are reverently stored in a box – perhaps with your name on it – and the survivors speak well of you before they move on. My curiosity turns to reincarnation and a return to innocence.

Alive. On the brighter side I had my annual physical today and all the vital signs say I am as healthy as a race horse. My out of control cholesterol is even back to normal levels despite the fact I quit taking meds six months ago. Fish oil, garlic and policosinal became my alternative treatment. That and a whole lot of running brought me back from the darker side. After the musings above I need to stay out of the dark. It's scary in there.

2 comments:

Tracy said...

I admire your thumb at the nose of clinical treatments - sometimes doctors don't always know what's best... congratualtions on your return to the safe zone.

I like the way you put this, also - the dark side and the light side. I really believe that we have to make frequent trips between the two in order to appreciate them both independently. NIce to see that reflected somewhere other than in my head ;) Thanks!

Rachel said...

That's great news about your health and your cholesterol. Comforting also because it runs in my family and I always wonder if I can escape it with healthy eating and a whole lot of running.

Wil is right-- trips between the dark and the light can be a positive thing, as long as one does not linger too long on the negative.

You should be proud of the positive bill of health-- celebrate this.