Advertising sell promises of longer lives, total
elimination of any wrinkles, and firm up those droopy thighs by using magic
lotions, etc. It’s a multi-billion dollar sucker-business. Why would I call it
that? Because we have no chance to compare the difference between using these products
with not using them. But we make those sucker-bets anyway, no matter how
pathetic we must realize they are. Will those Spring-of-Youth pills actually
make you look and feel younger, live longer? We’ll never know and only you can
decide.
I often think about my life in the big picture. It
makes me acknowledge where I come from, where I have been, where I am, while promoting chances as to how I can keep improving
now and my future. I think that if I did not look back once in a while, my
present life would go stagnant, repetitive, boring and would certainly limit
the elbow room needed to move forward.
Of course the "what if?" question pops up: I think
about all the “stuff” I have gone through, contemplating some of the
decisions I made through the years and what those decisions created, where they
got me. The choices I made when I got to the proverbial forks-in-the-roads, and
of course wondering (fantasizing?) what would have happened if I had gone left instead
of right. At times it’s a real cool trip through that big-picture thing; and often
it’s confusing, as I missed opportunities on the way – of course; we all have.
I strongly believe that we for the most part are
very much in control of our lives, what we want to do, where we want to go,
what we feel we want to accomplish on so many levels. Sure it takes discipline,
courage, assertiveness and a bunch of other things to guide us to the goals we
set, but I am convinced that when we want something bad enough and accept the work it
takes to achieve any of these goals, we can really get there.
We can’t go back and make changes; what’s done is
done – and then we move on. Trying not to sound fluffy (too late, Peter) I
decided many years ago that if I actually could go back, I would not make many
changes; the reason being that I would probably not have met my wife – as
simple (and fluffy) as that.
Sure I have past issues of embarrassments, pathetic
behavior and several individuals I really wish I could go back and explain things
to – then profusely apologize while begging for forgiveness. These issues might
not have any concern to these people, things long forgotten and perhaps
never remembered (Peter who?) but for me it was not cool – and for that I am
sorry, and (pathetically) wish I could go back and repair.
I am convinced that the road we travel must be, should
be and ought to be based on decisions we
make and implement; it’s about being in control of our lives and therefore our
future - it takes work, it really does.
But we also look at easy ways out. We substantiate not to do something, though we know it
would be good for us if we did. Let’s say exercise;
buying that hot new spandex exercise outfit is not making us fitter, no matter
the exciting feeling of wearing tight-fitting spandex all over my body gives me
on so many exciting (disturbing?) levels – oops, sorry got carried away a bit.
But at least buying that spandex thing is a first step, part of being
assertive. To get fitter we must of course exercise, which can actually be done without tight-fitting spandex; but trust me, it’s not as exciting… sorry,
I did it again!
We wrinkle as we get older. For some, as in George Clooney
and I, wrinkles look fabulously handsome, but most people resent this “cruel wrinkle
joke” of nature (except George and I, of course). So there is a vast array of
products, machines and things of all kinds and colors out there to “help” us.
You are asked to apply this (wrinkle) creme 4 times daily, at $175 an ounce, of
course. It will make your skin look smoother, younger and soft like a baby’s
butt (I’m not sure about you, but is that the image you are going for? A baby’s
butt - in your face?) Didn't think so...
So we smear this creme on any part of our bodies, spending hundreds of dollars or whatever currency; but we will
NEVER know if it actually makes our skin feel and look younger if we DIDN’T use
this product. How about washing that face with regular soap, massaging it a bit
with a soft sponge? I bet you’ll get the same feeling – I do.
We pop pills that promises this and that, and we
must be buying this stuff, because it’s really big business, profiting on vanity
and our insecurities; to some extent I find it okay - and then I don’t.
I take daily vitamins, some supplements, extra C, D,
B-complex, and the list is long. But I take this tongue-in-cheek,
because I feel rather silly inhaling all this stuff. Now, if I had a split personality,
I could feed all this (good!) stuff to one of me and nothing to the other me,
this way I could compare notes, as in: does it really make a difference? So you
see, it is with closed eyes and only bits of common sense that we rely on what the
label is promising us, that the fountain of youth ‘really’ is in this bottle,
at only $175 an ounce (cash, please).
I have met people who truly believe in some of these
advertised powers and I can see how their trust (naive hope) is embedded to the
point of making them feel good – or better? And I am all for that – okay, to a
certain extent only. I have always believed that if we are strongly convinced
about something, it does have a stronger effect on us, and for the most part in
a positive manner – underlining: for the most part.
We make so many choices in our lives, especially
early on, that will follow us till the very end. We consciously and/or unconsciously
make utterly important life-style choices at an age where we should not have to
make those important decisions; we are neither experienced nor mature enough to
do so – another cruel side of nature, don’t you think?
Early on we are relying on the planning of our life-model solely
by the help of the people around us, from parents, peers, leaders, coaches and
teachers, role-models, idols and heroes. The sad thing is that we ‘don’t get it’
at that early time in our life. Imagine if we had actually listened to some of
the excellent advice our parents gave us – imagine if we had just listened to
them, huh? And now we can’t go back and rewind, give it one more go – for real. And the circle keeps turning and now we are desperately
trying to teach our own kids – and good luck with that, really…
A longer, better looking life does not come from
inside a bottle, no matter what the label promises us. The longer, better quality
and healthier life is the one created from inside ourselves – solely depending on
how much we really want it and especially how much we really want to work for it to happen.
Remember that nothing, absolutely nothing comes from
inactivity or from just wanting it – no matter how bad we wish for it. Progress takes
a lot of work, but that is the most fascinating part of life; it's not just getting
there, but enjoying those tremendous and exciting travels it takes to get us there
– every single step on the way
.
So in that spirit, here is to your health, your happiness
and an even better / longer life – really,
Peter
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