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In My Fifty-Third Year It's funny, though, that I often find myself identifying my age as the same as his once his birthday is past. It seems his birthday makes me think about how old I will be in June and what that birthday means for me and my health and what goals I will be setting. And so this year, when I want to (as always) lose weight, be healthier, be more in control of my schedule, waste less time, be more financially stable, blah, blah, blah, I have begun to ask myself as I make decisions from eating dessert to buying a pair of shoes, "How will this decision impact my fifty-third year?" (Yes, I am turning 52, but that makes it the beginning of my fifty-third year on the planet.) So it was somewhat serendipitous that I received a review copy of Robin McGraw's new book What's Age Got to Do with It? Dr. Phil's wife wrote this book to share all the things she's learned over the years that have helped her create a healthy life. I wasn't sure it would have anything of value to me. After all, she and her husband have plenty of money, and she began by introducing the Hollywood experts that she called in to help her develop her best life. I can't afford Hollywood experts (or any experts), and I don't have money to burn on fancy treatments or cosmetics. Plus, I'm just not that interested in much of that stuff. But I do want to be healthy, no matter how old I am. And since the publisher was nice enough to send me the book, I decided to read it. When Les saw the book, which has a large 55 on the cover (McGraw's age), he asked why I was reading a book about being 55. That giant 55 is, I believe, a marketing error. Much of the advice in the book should be implemented long before a woman is in her 50s, yet I doubt 20- and 30-somethings are ever going to pick it up. I wouldn't. I even hid the cover when carrying into Panera, because I didn't want people thinking I was 55, even though I'm only 4 years from it. McGraw covers fitness, nutrition, skin, hair, makeup, fashions, hormones and even faith. In each chapter she tells her story and her secrets. She also shares how she stayed healthy in these areas back in her nonrich days, providing good tips to the rest of us. At the end of each chapter (except the faith one) the experts answer questions normal women might ask. I can't say I had any "A-Ha" moments while reading the book, but I was reminded of my own desire to be healthier and that it will take my commitment to accomplish that. I'll need to keep asking "How will this decision impact my fifty-third year?"—and not just until my birthday rolls around. Small decisions made every day will determine how healthy I am at 52 or 55 or 85. But small decisions don't simply affect my health and well-being. They affect the health and well-being of our planet too. What if each of us asked every day, "How will _______________ impact the planet's year?" Small decisions, like water usage, our purchases and the trash it creates, the food we buy, all impact our earth. Maybe it's wiser for you to ask yourself how that decision will impact your child or grandchild's life ten years down the road. Often we will sacrifice for our loved ones when we won't for a nameless individual or the planet as a whole. Asking "How will this impact my child's (or grandchild's or spouse's ______ year?" would also, I believe, change how we choose to spend our time (More work or more time with them? Family time playing games or doing chores together or sitting in front of the TV?). It would affect how we spend our money, how we save. Imagine how asking that question would affect the way we speak to others. If I thought about the impact of my words on another's future, I doubt I would be cutting or sharp or rude. And what if I asked myself before each decision how it would impact God's kingdom? Wouldn't I make decisions that are more likely to reflect the life of Jesus? Wouldn't love, joy peace, kindness, patience, forgiveness and self-control be more evident in my life? Wouldn't that make the world a better place? And wouldn't that in turn impact my fifty-third year in a positive way? Care to join me in trying to ask how our small, daily decisions impact the future? I saw it work at least twice today: Once it kept me from spending $38 so I could save $15. The second time it caused me to dish myself a small bowl of ice cream instead of a large one (a true miracle). And I believe it helped with some attitudes I expressed as well. Who knows? If I keep this up, I may have a very excellent fifty-third year. And maybe I'll change my little corner of the world in the process.
Mark Wusinich Bravo! About your lack of Ah-ha moments. I truely belive that most of what we read is not and should not be new revelations, but reinforcements of what is true. You get 10 ideas here and 20 there and 6 from the other place, but 3 ideas are common to all three lists. Those are the ones that you should pay attention to. |
