Health, Friends & Family

December 23, 2022

I got a call from my brother this morning, letting me know one of our friends had died last night. Nobody is sure what happened at this point, but it seems likely that it was a heart attack or some kind of cardio event. Ron was around 60 years old and quite a bit overweight. He was one of the most gregarious people I know and we’re all going to miss him very much. It was definitely way too soon for him to pass away, and I feel so badly for his wife and family.

Health

Anyone who has known me for a long time knows I have struggled with my weight for most of my adult life. At my heaviest, I weighed 192 pounds and I’m only 5’4″ tall. When I look back at my pictures from years ago, I’m shocked at how fat I was. It took five years for me to lose 31 pounds, but it was well worth it. I gained about 10 pounds back during the Pandemic, but I’m going to hit it hard, after the holidays. My health is too important to neglect.

Proper diet and plenty of exercise is one of the best investments you can make in yourself. It’s not just a matter of looking trim, it’s a matter of lowering my blood sugar and blood pressure, while reducing the chances of depression and cognitive decline. I feel so much better and can do things I was struggling with at my old weigh. I can walk, hike, surf, ride and play softball better now in my 50s then I could in my 40s. I recently hiked in Acadia, Sequoia and Yosemite national parks, and I plan to climb the Six Peaks in California.

With all of the people I know who have died very young lately, keeping in shape could literally be a matter of life and death.

Friends

I got a call from my best friend from Vegas yesterday and he just wanted to say hi and wish me a Merry Christmas. The best friends anyone can have are the ones who check up on you now and then, even when they don’t need anything from you. I have lots of friends like that and I’m truly blessed because of it. One of my proudest accomplishments is still being in touch with most of my childhood friends from the old neighborhood. We are all spread out now and some of them even live in other states, but we still keep in touch and check in on one another.

Family

Last weekend was our turn to host the family Christmas party and a good time was had by one and all. We have had a family Christmas party for way longer than I have been around and it’s a tradition I cherish to the fullest. My Grandma used to host it when I was just a youngster, then it was taken over by my aunt, then my sister and now my brothers and I each take turns. This is just one of many family traditions I love and enjoy. Next week, I will go pheasant hunting with my brothers and in the spring, we will be camping in the desert. I know everyone isn’t blessed with such a close family, which makes me even more thankful, especially during the holidays.

I wish everyone a very Merry Christmas and a Happy and Prosperous New Year.

The Bottom Line

Some of the most valuable things in our lives are the things we can’t buy. Health, friends and family are on the short list of my most valuable assets. It doesn’t matter how much money you have if you die young or are in poor health. It doesn’t matter if you have lots of friends and family, if you live a lonely life.