How to Grow Old the Right Way Up
Saturday 8th March 2014
Will’s Muscles
Like all healthy babies of the animal kingdom, Will was born with a good set of muscles to complement his bone structure. Indeed, he grabbed the finger of the Doctor with great gusto and screamed his lungs out in the first few seconds of his life. He held his little head quite upright before the third month of his life.
As a young child, Will was active, bubbly, and full of life and muscle.
School happened; bullying happened; the comfort of home, TV, computer games happened; the care of parents who mistook loving and protecting with letting the will of their Will dominate their lives, happened.
Will started to spend more and more hours sitting down in front of a screen than running around. His sleep patterns became erratic, his diet, higher and higher in carbohydrates.
By the age of 15, Will was obese, his muscles were wasting away rapidly, he was at risk of developing diabetes, and he was suffering from depression.
Doctors, exams, psychologists, clinics happened; pills were taken; more TV and games were watched and played; more comfort eating happened. After all, he was a sweet tooth, and mother loved him.
Will was by now, a slumped mass lying on a bed all the time, too weak, sleepless, and depressed to move. His bones and joints had become too weak to support his large body. His eating habits, added to drugs and inactivity had taken their toll.
An elderly wise Doctor was called as a last resource. He examined Will carefully with serious countenance.
“Am I going to die, Doctor?” panted Will with effort, watching anxiously his own laboured breathing, and the doctor’s stern face as he packed the stethoscope in its case.
“Well… depends…” answered the Doctor.
“On what?”
“On you, Will.”
“On me? What can I do?”
“You can give a step or two today, and a few more tomorrow?”
“What do you mean? I can’t move!”
“Can’t you, really?” Said the Doctor cryptically and left the room swiftly, leaving an indignant boy, half sitting on the bed.
Will’s mother was downstairs waiting with bated breath for the old practitioner’s diagnosis.
The Doctor looked at her with concern in his face. “It all depends on him exercising his muscles, but particularly HIS WILL’S MUSCLES.” He emphasized.
“But he can’t! He can’t move!” the woman sobbed.
“He could, if he has the will.”
“He is too weak!”
“If you really want to help him, put the remote control out of reach, but visible from his bed, every time he puts it in his bed. In a few days, move TV and computers out of his room. Then, move them downstairs. Change his diet to a highly nutritional, low calorie one.”
“He will hate me for it. He’s already very depressed. He will REALLY suffer.”
The old Doctor stared sternly at her from behind his glasses for a few seconds: “Either, you and Will develop your will muscles, or Will, will die.”
There is a healthy boy in my neighbourhood who, one grey day, not long ago, got up from his bed reached out for a TV control, and regained control of his life.
PS. Is there any area of your life in which you could do with developing more “will’s muscles”?
PS. Don’t overdo it. Enjoy life!
IMPORTANT DISCLAIMERS
0. This is a purely fictional story. Any similarity with any person, family or circumstances is mere coincidence.
1. I am not a health practitioner of any description. The tips I will be giving are directly related to my personal experience and my experiences with family and friends who seem to have benefited from those tips. Please if in doubt, always consult a qualified practitioner.
2. With their permission I will be mentioning in these pages the names and expertise of many people who have contributed to my current state of health. Whenever possible and relevant, I will be leading you to their websites or giving you a direct contact if you ask me. Nobody is or will be paying me or rewarding me in any way for doing so. I will be doing it because they are wonderful practitioners, to whom I owe much and to whom I am very happy to direct people to, for the benefit of all. I don’t and won’t recommend anyone whose help and expertise I haven’t experienced and benefited from directly.
patrissiacuberos 