World of Statues

July 1, 2018 – 

Had a thought today (don’t roll your eyes … I too have thoughts) that if people continue to get so complacent we are all going to end up as statues.  I was telling a friend yesterday that while living in California, grocery stores struck gold when they started delivering goods to your door.  Yes, the food was literally dropped off at your doorstep. For the busy Silicon Valley executives it made all the sense in the world, who has time to drive to Safeway, park, wander around a big box store, over-spend, and then hike that stuff out to the car and into the kitchen from the car?  You could now go on-line, pick out the products and have them delivered, all for a small fee.  Eureka!! (eu-re-ka, to express triumph on a discovery. – an added bonus word for the day) Well that food delivery is the biggest convenience ever, right?  Not so fast …

I went to Lowes early Sunday morning to get gardening stuff and found out that now there is an area of the parking lot designated for ‘quick-pick up’… heck, Wal-Mart has a dandy service as well where you go on-line and select your options, pay, and then drive to the covered pick-up location so they can load it into your vehicle for you.Actually ,we went to Arbor Gate and purchased plants as well, and for a nominal fee they were more than happy to not only deliver the load of plants but to literally PLANT them in the back yard as well.  Yes, true.

So, when did we get so lazy? When we became so busy I guess, I remember McDonald’s opening in Rapid City, SD in the  70’s as a kid and it had a drive-thru … yes, I’m old.   But where it really started; before the drive-thru, though, came the drive-in, a type of restaurant where customers ate their meals on the premises without leaving their cars.

The drive-in concept was first popularized by a Texas chain of eateries called the Pig Stand, whose first drive-in opened on a highway connecting Dallas and Fort Worth in 1921. Customers would pull in to the parking lot and be immediately greeted by carhops, combination waiter-busboys who served burgers and fries on trays that clipped on to the car’s window. In 1931 a Los Angeles franchisee of the chain, Pig Stand Number 21, began to allow car owners to order and receive bagged meals from a single window (it’s not clear whether they had to get out of their cars).

But back to my point, if we just have everything done for us in life there will be no need to move anymore.  And a body that does not move anymore is … yes, a statue!  Don’t be a statue, exercise. Remember, exercise is your friend.

Todays challenge(s), how many can you do?

1. Put on your socks. On one foot stand up and balance, put on your sock and then alternate for the other … can you?

2. Balance on one leg in a safe place, close your eyes, and try the tree pose; place the free foot on the side of your calf or thigh (not your knee).Arms out like tree limbs and balance for 30 seconds … can you?

3. Active Plank; from the floor or low table, elbows and tippy toes. Begin in plank position and after 30 seconds lift one arm up and hold it up for 30 seconds then alternate to the other arm for the next 30 seconds.  Now back to all for and lift one leg for the next 30 seconds and in turn alternate the other leg for the next 30 seconds.  Finally back to all four points of balance for the last 30 seconds.  Shazzam, you just did a 3 minute plane … or did you?

Movement in life is a blessing and for the people that have lost their strength and mobility I bet they would give  almost anything to have it all back.  Today we are so accustomed to making things easier.  Think about the last time you went to the store and looked to park. Did you park in the first available parking spot way back there at the end of the parking lot or did you drive right to the front only to be disappointed that the front row parking was occupied?  Its ok, next time try to look for the parking spot farthest away and take a nice walk!

Busy, lazy, safety … for whatever reason we are certainly pre-programmed to make our own lives easier. It’s ok to do that … but sometimes maybe spending a little extra effort would be better for you.

In good health,

Bob

“I’m not lazy … I’m just on my ‘energy saving mode’.”   –   author unknown