Wednesday, December 06, 2006

More times than not

Over several strong, black, cups of steaming coffee, we thrashed out matters of vital import. We agreed that if we ruled the world, it would operate quite differently; we were of one mind that aging enhances our best relationships. Then, came the mother of all questions: "How does one determine if ours was a 'Good Life' when time's up?"

That is probably a conclusion left to one infinitely wiser than two middle-aged mortals. Nonetheless, by unanimous consent, we established that if - in those final moments - the "ups" count higher than the "downs," the "happys" are more numerous than the "sads," indeed Life was good. In simple parlance, it's a "more-times-than-not thing," not a "100% thing."

Merely speculation, I am quick to admit; albeit it brings to me a sense of peace in present days. Oh yes, we also pledged that whomever gets to the other side first informs the other if we're correct. (And, dear reader - because I like you - I promise to publish it here if possible.)

Scene change: fast forward to present time.

I find myself - yet again - having to "get my act together" to repair damage I inflicted on my weight loss goals.

Throughout the entirety of Thanksgiving Day, I held myself back from cold turkey, mayonnaise sandwiches and manhole size servings of pumpkin pie. I was noble.

The day after? Well, that's a different story.

It began, as always, with a nibble here, a bite there. Not being a middle-of-the-road kind of guy however, I quickly reach a point where I decide, "as long as I blew it, I might as well REALLY blow it," and jump headlong over the cliff. History ignored is history repeated; here I stand again. You'd think after five decades, I'd have this figured out.

Yet... maybe I have.

If the key to a good life is "more-times-than-not," it stands to reason that success is "more-forward-than-backward." Peering though too constricted a window of time, perspective is distorted, all one sees is flaws and failures. Stepping back, a more accurate image comes into focus: habit change is indeed a "more-times-than-not thing," not a "100% thing." It is, after all, a fragment of Life.

It was a rough day, and I did set myself back. Today, however, has been great. I'm moving forward again.

You know, I just might yet get there.

1 comment:

Anonymous said...

Thank you for these words. Lately I've been having more "back" than "forward" but reading this helped me to look at the bigger picture, not just the immediate day. While it is true that I haven't lost any weight in the last 3 months, I also have held fairly steady for 3 months. For me that is a major accomplishment. I was so busy busting my ego over what everyone has deemed as my need to "self-sabatoge" that I have not given myself credit for allowing my new habits to gell and become a part of my lifestyle. I think I am ready again to move forward, but if a stand still comes again at some point I will remember all the movement forward I have made and not dwell on the backward days.