Measure it out, What's the plan?

I was speaking to my step-father about the medical condition of a friend's daughter, who was asking for some advice in dealing with his HMO... and we got on to the topic of our own health, and he began speaking about his own heart health, which he describes as "asymptomatic congestive heart disease" and what he's doing about diet and exercise... He's excited about his "Spin" class. I've been going to one at my own gym with my wife on occasional Saturdays... It was consistent for a while, but I've become much more occasional about it!

He has been all over me to get on statins due to my own cholesterol levels AND my family history with my dad having his heart attack in his late 30's and dying at 63. He's a real believer in the benefits and explains that ALL of his over-40-smart-doctor-and-lawyer-friends are taking them.

He feeds me articles and data tells me about the importance of prevention... and that the 'NEW' wisdom is to treat heart disease before the symptoms appear. It's clear that they WILL appear, especially in the cases of significant family history (me). This all makes good sense to me, even with my "drugs as a last resort" thinking.

I'm one blood test away from asking my doctor to prescribe me a statin drug... and now my company is changing medical plans, so I ought to hurry before I have to start over with a new doctor! The drugs are costly to the hospitals and there is sometimes resistance to prescribing before attempting diet change and exercise change...

Truth is ... my diet is not terrible, not great, but it's not likely to change significantly enough to put my cholestorol into desirable numbers.

It's interesting how often I 'back-burner' my health or medical needs... If this is really something that could add 2 or 5 or 10 productive years to my life, why do I delay the doctors appointments?

He's 60 something, expects to live to 80 something (his dad went at 85, his mom's alive in her 90's) So as he's describing that he plans to live 20 more years, it struck me, "That's not a very long time"... Especially to the mind of an almost 40 guy like me who has been having the mid-life "uh-oh" thoughts for a few years already.

(Forgive me. I really didn't intend to begin a medical blog-a-log)

My point in all of this is: exactly, ......"What's my point in ALL of this?" It brings to the front, the age old questions like, "What am I doing here?", and "Where am I?"

It's really becoming clear that we are just passing through... Our life is but a vapor... and all of the thoughts (at about 2000 words per minute) go blasting through the mind: "how will I ever do it all...", "am I doing the right things...?", "how can I afford...?", am "I paying close enough attention to kids, friends, family?"... "am I anywhere near what God wants me doing?"...

I realized not too long ago that I can't have ALL of the houses I'd like to live in someday... It makes sense to pick something and go with it!

It's amazing how this "pride of life" can have us caught up in another unfinished project around the house, overspending for a non-essential thing, and in a constant state of wanting. hmmm... Imagine that... How about a life of contentment, peace and joy?

We tend to be very caught up in what the eye sees. This "lust of the flesh" has little to do with sex... I'm talking about the upgraded furniture, the new paint, the fence, the clothes, the logo on the shirt, the shoes, the landscape... and don't kid yourself.... you are not immune...

It's humorous how we can be proud of how humble we are... it insidious, this human condition... I sure hope we can laugh about it.

maybe it's the car, the hair, the dog, the tattoo, the piercing... (it's not about money necessarily, the attachment can be to the image, the stuff)... and I'm not saying any of this is in and of itself is bad, it's NOT the "stuff" that's the issue, it's our attachment and identification with it that is in question. It doesn't mean we should have great 'stuff' and enjoy our time polishing it up.

Don't worry, I'm not going to sell all my possessions and follow "Him". Though it sounds very appealing at times. What I'm saying is that the "stuff" is nice eye candy, and all, but it will never completely satisfy, and we will be left wanting if we store up our treasures in this place.

So. Measure your life. How long do you plan to live here? And what do you need to be doing today in order to fulfill the plan?

....Oh, one more great reminder... and I know, you know this already: "Be here now."

that earlier reference to contentment, peace, and joy ... Those only exist right now.

The other things you may be familiar with: Anxiety, fear, discouragement, hopelessness, despair... I guess they're real, depending on your definition of real... but I don't believe they fit into absolute "now".

-go figure.