adamevegod1's Journal, 31 December 2019

What's your story?

I believe most people come to the weight-loss/health table either by way of an epiphany or wishful thinking. Let's deal with wishful thinking. Wishful thinking comes when one is dissatisfied with their present circumstances and want something that someone else has, whether it's a new car, job, home or even your neighbor's body. They just want it to be without considering the cost to obtain it, so they give up thus never materialize their goal. For others that same information they've heard for years finally rings true in a way they've never imagined. It might come through a medical diagnosis of type 2 diabetes, congenital heart disease, fatty liver disease...or just hearing for the first time "you're morbidly obese.

Some hear the same news and it never moves them beyond words with zero action to accompany their commitment, they live in a clever denial that "I'm working on it" mentality when in essence they only thing they are working on is suppressing the truth from themselves. My wife is a wishful thinker. She suffers from morbid obesity, fatty liver disease, and borderline diabetes, along with other medical indicators that accompany said lifestyle. You know what I'm talking about. I'm sad that her diet consist of everything that is harmful for her. Yesterday for dinner she ate tater totts, beef burger, bread, ketchup, and a large bowl of ice cream. All of which are foods highly recommended to steer clear of when you have fatty liver disease. I'm doing fairly well of biting my lip because I know my words, no matter their sincerity or intent, do no good.

For me, taking personal responsibility for my health came through hospital visitations. I'm a pastor so I visit a lot of sick folks, and have even buried a lot that never got better, many sadly in their 50s-60s. I use to regularly visit this one lady in her early 50s, and witnessed her health go from a two heart attacks, a few toes being removed to losing both legs and finishing her life on dialyses. Three months before she passed I performed a weddingfor her and her husband where they renewed their vows. It wasn't just her story (BTW as my sister in Christ I loved her deeply) that moved me, but a combination of many more like her's that caused me to change my thinking and attitude. I was looking at this one particular women in bed who was a compulsive liar about her health (just keeping it real) just days before her impending death, and asked myself this question. "If she was given a real opportunity to turn time back 15 years with the ability to see the trajectory their health, would she change? I summarized if it was indeed possible she and others unequivocally would, and that's when the epiphany hit me--I had those 15 years, and I took them. set a new course and never looked back. For those who chose not to I get to see more than their person's struggles. I get to deal with the fallout of the whole family.
Let me say this, I'm not fearful of dying, but I am fearful of being personally responsible for creating unpleasant and unnecessary circumstances that others have to clean up due to my own selfishness. If you have those 15 years take full advantage of them. They won't last long, 2019 was like a blip on the radar screen. If you don't have them, I suspect you know what I'm talking about. If you just want better health it won't happen. However, if you realize you need it, and it will take determination, commitment, and a lot of hard work you can make it. You really can. It's easy to be lazy and say, "I'm working on it" when you know you aren't. Make 2020 a year you can clearly see your heath for what it is--love you and your family enough to give it to them.
What's your story?