It’s Father’s Day, former procrastinators! Something about my dad snuck up on me. I realized Daddy set an excellent example in all the areas of wellness we are told to pay attention to. He was just quiet and faithful about it.
Daddy taught us kids to “treat your equipment right.” That applied to the lawn mower, bicycles, tools, whatever needed care in order to work properly. Now I see he essentially applied that to maintaining himself.
Though a picky eater, he ate healthy before that was a topic. He was especially good with portion control as he carefully monitored the amount he ate. (Daughter, take note.) When he learned he needed to limit himself for health reasons, he cooperated or initiated without complaint.
He was a walker. For a number of years, he walked three brisk miles before breakfast. In his late eighties, slow and careful, he continued to walk in the neighborhood. It troubled him to sit so much and he looked for ways to exercise.
Daddy kept his brain active. He was an avid reader. If seated, the daily paper or other reading material was in his hand, a dictionary and thesaurus beside him. He tackled the computer. He was selective about TV watching, nothing senseless or ugly. He enjoyed his collection of classical music.
He spent time with people. We laughed so much as a family. As a tease and a joker (keeping it kind), he was a spreader of joy. He knew how to play. He was part of a card group. He met “the men at the restaurant” for early breakfast. He frequently sent greeting cards to folks. When mostly confined to the house, he hosted his buddies for ball games on TV, making sure snacks were ready. (That group teased each other unmercifully.) He and his remaining classmates from high school telephoned or visited weekly to “check on each other.”
When he needed to see a doctor, he did. A yearly physical and then as necessary.
Thank you, Daddy, for showing us kids how to “treat our equipment right.”
Is there temple-body equipment you need to “treat right”?
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