“Running just a few minutes a day reduces risk of dying”
Really??
Such was the headline on the news item that morning.
Now, I don’t run. There is a certain top-heaviness in the curves department that has always made running feel ungraceful for me. It holds few attractions unless it is barefoot through heather or snow when I don’t actually give the proverbial monkey’s about being graceful. I have huge admiration, and a certain amount of jealousy for those who can and do run, but personally, I’ve always preferred to get my exercise in other ways. But hey, if it is going to ‘reduce the risk of dying’…
Except, it isn’t… and the journalist who wrote that wants to be given some fundamental lessons in the mechanics of life. Because the one thing that is absolutely, unquestionably, unarguably certain is that dying is not a risk… it is an inevitability.
It is true that my son has categorically refused permission for me to die without his consent, given in triplicate and deposited in the local planning department on Alpha Centauri for fifty of our Earth years.. no, wait… that was the Vogon demolition plans for Earth…
But the permission thing stands.
While I am sorry to disappoint my son or indeed disobey my employer, the two being one and the same; on this occasion, and possibly with regret, I will, unfortunately be obliged to do so. I am going to die.
And that is okay.
Now, don’t get me wrong here. I have no immediate plans for it, nor reason to suspect the event to be imminent; it is not scheduled in the calendar, I have not polished my shoes in preparation nor am I submitting my holiday request form for the occasion. But it is going to happen one of these days and no amount of running is going to alter that. Nor will any other form of exercise, any amount of healthy eating or exotic diet. Birth and death are part of the same package and if our erstwhile journalist is writing articles on his Dictaphone whilst jogging his way to immortality, he may as well stop now.
Running… five a day… cycling… all the adjuncts of ‘healthy living’ will not reduce the risk of death by one iota. They may prolong life; they may protect and encourage good health. But the scythe of Death is inescapable.
And that worries me.
Not the dying thing… that’s okay. Granted I might have a preference or two about the manner of it… were I to be given any choice in the matter… but the actual exit itself is fine. What worries me is the denial of death that we seem to be suffering from these days in western society. The denial of life too, in many ways; its natural process and progression from youth to age. The pursuit of physical health I have no problem with; the maintenance of the machine that carries us through our days has a lot to be said for it. But I have to wonder about motivation here; I know there are many genuine and utterly valid motivations at individual level, but as a society it makes me wonder what we are playing at sometimes.
Are we really pursuing health, half the time, or just attempting to evade death? Are we pursuing an ideal of beauty because of its fitness for purpose and aesthetics or because we are afraid our own reflection, our own self-image, somehow isn’t good enough? Or attempting, with scalpel and needle to delay the ageing process because we have ceased to value the wisdom of years or the beauty of a face whose journey is written in the contours and wrinkles of experience?
Many write of the cult of celebrity and media and decry the influence it has on our young people, seeing the extremes they go to in search of that model figure without a curve in sight, yet I have a feeling that more of us are influenced by its airbrushed projection that we might care to admit. Are we simply afraid of our own mortality?
“…reduces the risk of dying” indeed….hrmph!
I don’t ‘do running either!!!
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Wouldn’t dream of it myself 😉
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Lol!!! Don’t want two black eyes to start… 😉
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Nope 😉
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I ran for 11 years until my knees told me to stop. However, when I went for a bone density scan, I was told that all the years of running had paid off as my bone density was good. As you say, running might put off death for a few more years, but death is inevitable. Also what I find rather sad is the media’s focus on youth, as though older people should be hidden away somewhere. There seems to be a dread of ageing, but if we lead a healthy life there’s no reason to fear it.
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I love the autumn and winter of the earth… I don’t see why we shouldn’t embrace our own with grace….though I could live without the dodgy joints!
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I always think that running does keep you fit… but at what cost? Surely not worth an extra few years if you have to spend those years running!!
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If you enjoy running, then run. If not… there are plenty of other ways to keep fit 🙂
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Great post, Sue. I’m sure you’re right that the often manic obsession with so-called healthy living is very often a fear of death masquerading as something deemed more acceptable. Its’really weird, and a total denial of reality. There is, as you imply, one – and only one – sure and certain thing in life – that it will end. In fact, ‘life’ implies ‘death’. Without death, there is no life. Like – without ‘down’ there is no ‘up’; like without ‘cold’ there is no ‘hot’; like without ‘female’ there is no ‘male’. Etc. Etc. The whole universe – at least as perceived by us – is dualistic.
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I agree, Jeff, and it is that very limitation that gives life its intensity and vibrancy..the very things we see as giving life value are a direct consequence of death.
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So it was RUNNING!
And I thought it was going to be a game of chess. I should have watched fewer of those Bergman films
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Odd, we only mentioned that film last night 🙂
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Looks a little dated now but it is a great film
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It is.
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even if it is based on the erroneous belief that the crusades and the black death took place at the same time
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What are a few centuries to film-makers?
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I have nearly pulled hair from my head reading such articles. Such powers do not exist…to prevent death ….
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I am not at all certain I would want them either…
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unless you run into a deep hole )
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🙂
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Couldn’t agree more, Sue, about the way in which there there is a tendency out there to act as if death is not part of life’s package. And, as for prolonging life when all quality is gone, well that’s definitely not a runner for me anyway.
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Me neither, Jean; just because we can does not always mean that we should.
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Reblogged this on Die Erste Eslarner Zeitung – Aus und über Eslarn, sowie die bayerisch-tschechische Region!.
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Thanks, Michael 🙂
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Hey, always with a great pleasure. 😉
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🙂
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I am still young and healthy, but I don’t see the point in prolonging life when the quality is gone.
Though Death is inescapable, quality life can be prolonged in most cases up to a certain point. But when the number comes up… why delay it? (I might have a different opinion in 20-30 years, however…)
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I doubt we can ever be sure what our answer will be when that times comes, but I think it depends upon how we individually define ‘quality’.
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My daughter says I should spend my money and enjoy it, after all, I can’t take it with me.
I don’t know who wrote the rule book on this but that’s plain silly. If I can’ take it with me, I’m not going.
xxx Huge Hugs xxx
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😀 xxx
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Well said, Sue. What really irritates me is the constant harping on in the media about the ‘burden’ of an aging population. Tell someone he/she is a burden often enough and they start to believe it.
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I agree, Mary. The ‘ageing population’ consists of our parents, grandparent and, eventually we may come to realise, ourselves. We are all ‘ageing’… just some of us are more practised at it than others. But the ageing population is our source of knowledge, experience, stories and history… a bit more valueing would not go amiss.
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Smiling with you, Sue, there is no sports bra that meets the challenge ! I ran years ago, before multiple “below the hip” injuries. Now, walking will have to “delay death”. lol.
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Walking has been damned near killing me lately, Van… but I shall persevere 🙂
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Excellent post! I am addicted to life and I’m not looking for a cure!
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Me neither 🙂
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I’m not a runner either. While devotees swear by it, it does also have its drawbacks, as everything does. While I would like to be granted as much time on this earth as possible (with a good quality of life), to your point, there is no avoiding the inevitable — no matter what you eat or what you do. So do enjoy it while you can.
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No matter how carefully we obey the dictates of a healthy lifestyle…there is always the proverbial bus ready to mow us down. So we may as well have fun, ice-cream and a gentle saunter when we feel like it 😉
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Totally agree 😊
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🙂
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Your post reminded me of the song with the line ‘stay forever young’ I think that is the active pursuit of many. As with most clubs you chose to join or not. I’m in the ‘not’ bracket.
I’m in the ‘get old disgracefully’ club.
Running? I think I’d rather die… literally
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Running? I probably would! I’ve always subscribed to growing old dsgracefully…and feel I am doing a fair job of that ( says she who skinned her ageing knees climbing trees the other day…)
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Reblogged this on Shamanic Paths and commented:
Same thing for “New Drug Saves Lives”; no it doesn’t. “New safety regulations will reduce death toll by 60%”; no they won’t. “Eating Asparagus reduces chance of death…”; nope…
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Nope… not a one of them. And why on earth would we want them to?
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Reblogged this on Chronicles of an Orange-Haired Woman! and commented:
Ruddy well said, Sue: I totally agree and have been muttering similar thoughts, usually under my breath, for yonks! xxx
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Thanks, Ali. It is one of those things that get my goat… xxx
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Yup! Me too! Has really irritated me for years! xxx
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No surprise that we are in sync again. 🙂
xxx
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xxx
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I agree with you Sue and it has and always been walking and swimming for me. I was built for comfort not for speed and I reckon if I can manage my life without the aid of medication I not doing too badly. I think most of us within this community do most things right with diet and moderate exercise and anyone with a busy lifestyle as you have is already getting your share. We are preaching to the choir most of the time. Like you I would prefer to choose my passing method… but until then I want to feel alive as long as possible.
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Feeling alive is such a huge difference from running away from death, isn’t it? I am in no hurry to meet the Reaper, but he has the final say on that one, not me.
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I used to run a bit in the past when I had to but it is not something I am overkeen on!
Death is the one certainty in life whether we like it or not! I know a lot of people do not want to think about it, myself included, but for some, being kept alive by modern methods that give them extra years but no quality yearn for it. WE are trying to be more open about death now, but it is always going to be a taboo subject for many, trying to dodge the Reaper!
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I stopped running when I left school…apart from with (or after!) the boys.
I’ve said it before… just because we can, doesn’t always mean we should preserve life at any cost. For the medical profession that poses a moral dilemma when doctors are sworn to preserve life with an oath that was created long before modern medicine. I would hate to make the calls they have to.
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I know the doctors have it so hard now making those sort of decisions.
I used to like running after boys too!! 🙂
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They have my sympathy and respect for that.
( I meant my sons… 😉 But…. 😀 )
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Oh sorry, my misunderstanding!!! 😂😂😂😂😂
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Ha…
On the other chase, I plead silence 😉
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Reblogged this on Anita Dawes & Jaye Marie.
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Thank you. x
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Too old to start running… My doctor said so, and no, I didn’t have to bribe him! I’m good at walking though…
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I’ll always walk when I can…but they can keep the running….
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I used to run a lot when I was young, I loved it. Nowadays, walking is about my speed!
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No, I was always too top-heavy for comfortable running 😉
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I must have been behind the door when those were given out!
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I may have had your share 😉
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I always say, if you see me running you better start running too, because something is chasing me!
Not a runner, never have been 😀
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Pretty much my attitude too, Helen 😀
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😀
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Well said. What’s with the botox? The strange diets? When I stopped taking a medicine because the side effects were worse than what it was supposed to prevent, my daughter said to me, “you’re going to die”. Well so are you, I replied. Seriously. We all. Are. (K)
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I know… My son has forbidden me to die, but honestly, I’ve been doing it for years…. 😉
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Isn’t it great that our children want to keep us around?
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I think so 😉
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Well said madam. X
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Thank you, Sir. x
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‘risk of dying’ … heheheheheh. And here I was thinking dying was risk free! 😀
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About the only thing that is 😉
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you are spot on Sue; it’s all on its head, this stuff. I get making the most of what we have and being healthy is part of that but the reaper, whether grim or just suffering from haemorrhoids will be along eventually.
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I honestly do not see why we should be any diferent from the rest of Nature… or why we should want to be.
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Quite
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You are very right, Sue. Everyone is afraid of the inevitable now and will believe anything and do anything to stave it off. Death is a part of life. Running in South Africa, with our crazy taxi drivers, is likely to result in a far faster death than any other outcome [smile].
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The taxi drivers seem to pride themselves on tha worldwide 🙂
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Reblogged this on Musings on Life & Experience and commented:
A great post about life and death.
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Thanks, Suzanne.
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Rats! I was hoping that by eating lots of kale I could escape death. 😀 I think the truly sad thing about the denial of death is that within the illusion of immortality life loses some of its preciousness. If we (humans in general) really truly understood that our time starts running out at the moment of birth, we would try harder to make each moment count and we would be more careful with the lives of others. Lovely post, Sue.
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Yes, I agree with you Diana ( though not about the kale 🙂 ) . It is the very limitation we fear that should make us value life.
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(I’m not a big kale fan either). 🙂
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😀
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This article really hit deep- you’re so right about questioning why we focus so much on fitness!
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I think we fear age and death more than we fear unfitness 😉
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Very interesting! Probably any form of activity should suffice for those who dont like to run. Like mowing the lawn or walking the dog. At least I hope so! 🙂
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I certainly hope so too 🙂
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