Look how great she looks. Terilynn, the love of my life and my main motivation for trying to be healthy. She said something to me last week, "isn't it good to know you have someone to grow old with?" When she said it I first thought of growing old and that kind of scared me; but I did find it comforting that I would have such a great companion. Comfort and companion; that does sound old.
The thing that scares me though about growing old is that I won't be in good health to enjoy life. And really, with the way I've been treating my body recently, it's not going to be in any shape for the golden years.
The path is clear to me right now. For the present, for the future. For myself, for my love, for my children. I have to take care of this vessel.
My mom always taught me that my body is the temple of Christ. I knew she meant that I should take care of it but why didn't make sense. I thought it ridiculous that the all powerful god of my Christian upbringing would fit into my body. And hopefully he wasn't about to hold church up in there. But I think it does go a little deeper.
Not litteral, and not only spiritual but representational. When one looks at a body like the one I've abused, they see the neglect and mismanagement. They sense the lack of control that lets such a temple dilapidate. It shows a lack of respect for one's only connection to Earth. And as temples, I feel that we are god's connection to the Earth. And God can be whatever your life experiences have formed him to be. Even the agnostic must have some belief system that includes a power greater than us, even if it's not controlling us or watching over us but maybe just observing.
There is something happening to our planet right now. It's the direct result of our lack of respect for our surroundings and our own bodies. It's as if we've become a cancer to our planet and if so, it must shed us in order to survive. I'm sure it needs some us for general maintenance but it won't be the ones of us that trash it. It'll be those who show respect and love for all it's wonders and natural gifts.
Knowing this, I need to start here with me. I need to stop playing around like there are no consequences for my actions and take care of this problem in any way that I am able . Protecting my health, teaching my kids, reducing our consumption, and reversing our impact to bring about positive changes to our environment.
We've almost become vegetarian. My wife is raw-vegan. The kids eat very little meat and I refuse to bring raw meat into the house. I've been trying to be raw vegetarian but it's time to stop trying and start doing. I can't wait any longer because my planet, my god, my wife, my family needs me right now to be in the best of shape and as I grow old to do so in good health.
So at this time I make an oath to myself and to my environment to go forth with respect to my body and to god's earth. I will only put in those foods and beverages that keep me running at optimal levels. Raw, mostly organic, mostly local produce.
