The fault is not in our stars, but in ourselves

Last week was pretty rough for our family. As Susan mentioned, her grandmother passed away last Friday at the tender age of 94. Despite the fact that our schedules were thrown into complete disarray, and despite the fact that we both ate too much and exercised too little last week, Mrs. and I both became strangely recommitted to getting fit following the funeral.

For Mrs., it's a matter of wanting to be as healthy as possible because it's safe to say she'll be around for a long, long time. Most of Susan's side of the family has a history of living well past the average lifespan. Some of Susan's great grandparents and great-great grandparents lived into their 80s and 90s back when most Americans didn't live to see the age of 60. That's a sobering thought for Susan ... and for me.

The unfortunate reality is that I wasn't blessed with the impressive genetic legacy of Susan's family. Most of my relatives died much sooner than the average life expectancy for their generations. In some cases their deaths were attributed to the accumulative effects of "hard living" (too much alcohol or too much tobacco), and I suppose that offers me a glimmer of hope since I don't smoke and rarely drink. However, my family also has a history of high cholesterol and heart disease. Both of my uncles on my mother's side of the family passed away when they were still relatively young ... only just beginning to enjoy what most people consider to be their "mid life" years.

That's why I left the funeral on Tuesday with a renewed sense of purpose. The "odds" are that I will die before my wife. The "odds" are that, through no fault of my own, I will leave my best friend and partner, and our child alone. Those are the "odds" and I don't like them. That's why it's important for me to commit myself to getting fit and living a healthy life for as long as possible. I can't change my genetic history, but I can change my overall health by eating right and exercising.

Our precious time on this earth is already limited by things we can't control. It's up to each of us to choose whether we want to make the most of the time we have. I for one plan to be here for my wife and family for as long as possible.