The Decision Is Up to You
It's my hope you learned that exercise isn't a short-term fix. It's not something you do just to look good in your wedding dress, get ready for a class reunion or the summer season. It's a lifetime endeavor. A journey. I encourage you to reread the chapters that discuss the barriers you find most difficult to overcome. Approach each one with a positive attitude. Remember, your attitude determines your altitude.
I want to leave you with a story that is very near and dear to me. It's a story about my son Noah.
Noah entered this world with a bang. After 29 hours of labor my wife had an emergency C-section because Noah decided to wrap the umbilical cord around his neck. Upon delivery we had a surprise...Noah wasn't breathing. After eight minutes of CPR he was revived. Within one hour he stopped breathing for a second time. After being revived the second time he was flown by helicopter to a larger hospital where he would be diagnosed.
It turned out he was born with tracheal esophageal fistula. This meant that his esophagus (food tube) was not attached to his stomach but rather to his trachea (wind pipe). He couldn't eat anything by mouth or it would be aspirated. The condition required immediate surgery to reattach the esophagus to the stomach in order for him to eat. So 24 hours after his birth he underwent major surgery. The surgery went well; however, several complications required him to spend five weeks in the neonatal intensive care unit before he could come home.
Finally after eight surgeries, 16 months on a feeding tube and many follow-up trips to the hospital, Noah was given a clean bill of health. Noah is now approaching his third birthday and we still occasionally deal with some very minor repercussions; however he is healthy and as active as any other child his age.
We give thanks to the Lord for allowing us to keep Noah and enjoy his playfulness and, sometimes, his sassiness. What an amazing gift we were given.
Through this experience I was able to see the lives of many kids at the Children's Hospital of Milwaukee. Sadly, many of them will never learn to walk, talk, play, or function in a social environment like many of us can. The very things we take for granted are things some can only hope for.
Many of these kids didn't have a choice in life. They were born with a serious condition. They can't choose to do things a little differently in order to change their situation. They will live with it for the remainder of their lives.
My son Noah didn't have a choice whether or not to go through what he did. Thankfully the Lord had a purpose in mind for his life as he does for all of us.
Most of you, on the other hand, do have a choice. You can choose whether or not to enjoy the life you've been given by caring for your body. You have the choice to start an exercise program that can positively impact your life. You have the choice to pursue habits that improve your health.
Or, you can choose to do nothing. To engage in activities that are detrimental to your health. The ball is in your court. What will your decision be?
