Live Like You Are Dying

Today is going to be a day that offers me options, chances, and support...how I chose to take the information I'm given today will impact my life forever.  I feel like I have come to a crossroad, and I've been here before.  One path leads to a care free life - one that bombards me with junk food, no exercising, and no worrying about what the scale says.  The other road leads to discipline, strict diet, and constant exercise.  There have been several days, lately, that I felt like I'm walking down "Carefree Lane".  Then I stop, realize that I've taken the wrong path - and decide to walk back to the crossroad. 

It's so easy to see why the country is so obese.  Choosing a carefree lifestyle is easy.  People like easy. So many people are busy - children, work, school, just to name a few.  How can they possibly be expected to try and fit exercise into their already bursting at the seams schedule?  Then there are the people that chose to live on junk food because it's cheaper.  Money is definately a factor in the obesity crisis - but is it a valid excuse?  I've dealt with these issues - found solutions - and still ended up on the crossroads...hmmm.

So, how do you decide which road to take?  There's no easy way to decide, it all comes down to perspective.  I want to live each day to the fullest extent - enjoy life.  I know that one of the roads will let me enjoy life with no boundries, while the other road will have many limits.  Limits? Boundries?  That's not fun at all!! How can you enjoy every day to the fullest if you're constantly worrying about counting calories or when you're going to fit that much needed work-out in?  Last night, I tossed and turned for a long time before I was finally able to answer that very question.

Simply put, deciding which road to take depends on the life that you want to live.  "Carefree Lane" is a smooth, straight road that offers much more enjoyment, persay, but it will ultimately lead to medical problems such as heart problems, high cholestoral, diabetes..so the road leads to a carefree life - but a much shorter one.  "Restriction Road" has it's downfalls - a much rockier road to follow...but MUCH longer.  I've never been one to want to take the scenic route...but when my life is the road....take me the longest possible way.  Yes, I want to enjoy my life to the fullest...but I want the fullest to also be the longest.  I want to put the extra work in so that I can be here when my kids are grown, play with my grandchildren, and possibly my great-grandchildren.  So, my friends, it's time to put the "Road closed" sign up on Carefree Lane.  Restriction Road is going to be a long journey - speed bumps, occasional detours, high mountains, and hopefully plenty of beauty.  As I travel, hopefully my load will get significantly lighter, the speed bumps get significantly smoother, and the beauty that shines will be my own.

I devote myself to live each day as if I were dying - but not with a quick plan in mind.  Each day I will live as I'm dying, but live it as though I'm finding the cure  - not wasting it to get to the finish line of death.  Hopefully, I meet some of you on the way - I would love some company to go with me.  Which road will you take?

Till next time  ;)