THE QUICK FIX

If there is one thing I have picked up on the journey towards the Good Life, it is this: the easy path is rarely the most rewarding. This is especially true when it comes to health and happiness.

So often we choose the path of least resistance. We want the quick fix. A magic pill. Unfortunately, there's no such thing. They all come with long-term side effects and repercussions, and you've got to weigh your options. When choosing your path, you can't just think about the section that lies directly before you. You have to think about what might be around the next bend, lurking out of sight.

I don't have too many serious vices. I've never been a drinker, smoker or drug taker. I am, however, a somewhat lethargic person, and I do love my carbs (both carbohydrates, and carbonation!). Compared to drugs and alcohol, my weaknesses don't seem so bad, right? Which makes it oh so easy to tell myself "I deserve this soda pop, or this plate of pasta, or to stay curled up on the sofa with a good book instead of going to work out..."

But then I get to thinkin' about my family history of diabetes, severe arthritis, diverticulitis, acid reflux, wonky gallbladders, and congestive heart failure. I think about my mother, my grandmother, my great grandmother, and my great aunt, who, though they made it into their 70's, 80's, and even 90's, had all but given up on life by the time they hit 60. They spent the next 20 or 30 years confined to their chairs, in and out of hospitals, having to be waited upon, and struggling for a reason to get out of bed each day.

Then I think about my sister-in-law's parents, also in their 80's, who live in Louisiana. Jack and Alma still travel around the country to visit their kids, only recently conceding to fly rather than drive. They have a large circle of friends, an active social life, still do volunteer work in their community, still garden and cook, and even attend some exercise classes. Jack finally had his first surgery ever just this year.

So, is it luck that has blessed them thus? I don't think so. I think quality of life, rather than duration, has more to do with the many choices we make each and every day, and very little to do with luck. I think it's mostly about overcoming our propensity for instant gratification, eschewing the quick and easy path, and choosing instead to set off down the path towards The Good Life.