Why not today?

Before 2008, if I, or pretty much anyone I knew, was asked to list out my interests or qualities, "active" would not have been very high on the list. Well, honestly, it probably wouldn't be on the list at all. I spent a lot of time doing indoor activities, and, after a childhood of pretty much the same, the old hand-eye coordination wasn't much to start with, so it seemed like every time I tried to do a thing or two actively, I was pretty disappointed. Then, I finally decided that, for my health, that would change. More of that for another blog and another time. It's a good foundation for my subject today though.

As we are known to do here in the great Northwest, our weekend this go round included a beautiful hike in the mountains. Dave and I saw a hike posted late Friday evening that looked great and took us to one of our favorite areas, so we figured it was a great way to spend a Saturday, and we packed some lunches and signed up. Since we sometimes hike with a hiking club, it is always nice to meet others who enjoy the great outdoors and have their own stories of Idaho or the area or just interesting activities. Yesterday was no exception. As we were making our way up the mountain, we were carpooling with John. John is a recently-retired 65 year old cool dude who spends his time something like this: He skis and snowshoes in the Winter, he hikes and bikes in the Spring, he rafts in the Summer and golfs and hikes again in the Fall. He doesn't watch TV. He uses technology mostly to manage his Meetup activities, and he had an interesting saying that popped up throughout our conversation: Why NOT today?

Examples for use. I really wish I could be healthier. Why not (start) today? I really wish I could get outdoors more. Why not today? I really wish I could get a better job, a better living situation, a better _________. Why not today?

For John, this question was about being active, living life and getting the most he can out of every precious day. It's not rocket science, it's not something we haven't all heard a million times, but the more I do outside, actively in my own life, amongst 60, 70, and 80 year olds, the more this rings truer and truer for me. Compare that in your mind with the last time you maybe visited a friend or loved one in the hospital, in assisted living, or even in their home, where they might be confined because of poor health. Or, just think about someone you know who is stuck in some other way and cannot move toward happiness. 

I'm usually a "that's none of my business" kind of girl, but in this case, I couldn't help sharing some of John's wisdom. If I'm lucky enough to stay healthy through retirement, I plan on giving John's list a run for its' money.