I was there watching as they ripped the porch off the building. As it tore off there was that sick sound of splintering wood. What you are seeing is a building that formerly housed Nuns that taught at the Catholic school next to it. The Church (as I understand it) felt that it was too expensive to keep up on the building repairs, perhaps in light of its current usefulness. Nuns don’t live there now. Actually no one could live there now.
I think it’s going to be converted to a playground for the school.
Time is constantly moving forward. Sometimes it’s easy to get distracted but in the background time passing can not be denied. Change too… seems to be such a constant. Sometimes change can be good, while other times I struggle with it.
Lately I’ve been thinking about how even if we make no choice time will ultimately make a choice for us. This fitness thing really confounds me at times. Naturally it’s important to set specific goals then work toward them (else it’s so easy to drift aimlessly)
OK here’s the current paradox for me. Am I still me after loosing 50 pounds and more? I’m different. I can run, I do a lot more… I’m thinking I even think differently. What about when I was much heavier? I always thought people were shallow if they “Judged a book by it’s cover” and wanted them to like me for me, what ever I weighed.
If you see just about any movie (or even commercial) I can’t help but think how shallow it is… You see models, you don’t really see leading actors that are obese (with very few exceptions and many of them are the target for cruel humor) Physically fit people are there for a reason… they have some attraction, else they wouldn’t be there if they didn’t sell cars or movies. In the past it always bothered me thinking about how shallow it was.
Yet now I wonder something else. These changes of getting more fit are deep and seem to impact many areas. If a person cares about their body, themselves… are they placing more value in themselves, thus naturally generating more confidence?… more MoJo?
I can’t help but think about that old line that women say, “I want you to respect me for my mind.” I wonder if the mind body health connection is far stronger than I once believed. When people comment about how others have “really let themselves go.” I’m starting to have trouble with the blurred line of what is healthy and what is shallow.
If you don’t care about you and don’t value yourself (including your physical health)… maybe isn’t it harder for people to care too? I’m not sure what to do with it. I hope I can see the “real” person, whoever they are. But at the same time I have some magnetic pull toward the fitness too. Getting back to those pictures… Is it just a building? Is it a Nun’s home and a piece of history that bothered me so seeing it ripped apart? Can it be both?
Of course most of you that have read the blog for any time at all know that a little bit of arrogance is the Foolsfitness way. - Alan
This is a tough one. I do know I'm treated differently now. Maybe it is that I hold my head higher but I also think sometimes people are just shallow or judgemental. It's a mixed bag with these things, just depends on the people I think. I know seeing that nun's house torn down would have made me sad too.
ReplyDeleteAs for change, I've always found it hard. I think it's just who I am. But I also know that positive change will make a better life for me in the end even if it was really hard getting where I wanted to be.
Sounds like you're making good progress Alan and that's what counts.
yes, you do change as you lose weight. But the ESSENTIAL YOU that was there all along. The part that thinks and feels....it's the same, but how you think and feel begins to change.
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ReplyDeleteInteresting post Allan. Wish I had some real insight but maybe I don't because I haven't lost a significant amount of weight yet.
ReplyDeleteWish I could add something worthy to the comments other than I think Chris makes a good point.
paula
Wow, I've never wondered about this before, but I definitely am now.
ReplyDeleteThanks for a great post!
Hey Alan, I left 3 questions for you on my blog.
ReplyDeleteI am really interested in your answers. You are one of the few bloggers I wish would blog more.
lol.
You Fool!
ReplyDeleteThanks for visiting my blog and for your cool comments. Yes, you are my arch-enemy, because every do-gooder superhero (as you describe yourself) must in fact have someone to battle.
I am he.
I am the one who mocks you as you find fun along this journey.
I am the one who frets over measurements on the scale, who painfully logs in the meager miles, while simple do-gooders like you restore old bicycles, comment on the destruction of nunneries, and fantastically compete in velodrome events to the mindless cheerings of the masses.
I am the anti-hero...your new arch-villian (as you designated me). I think you want to become me.
(or is it the other way around?)