My friend’s diabetic mother was advised by her doctor to stop drinking regular Coke and replace it with Coke Zero to abort further complications and eventually prolong her life. Upon entering their house coming from the clinic, the mother opened their refrigerator and looked for Coke. Not finding any, she asked the servant to buy Coke from the nearby store. Her children specifically gave instruction to the helper that she buys Coke Zero. The mother fumingly protested. The children stubbornly contested. Then the mother warned her children: “How can I live longer if I die now? If you don’t give me regular Coke now, I’m gonna die! I’m gonna die hating you all. And if ever I die drinking regular Coke, at least I will die very happy.” If you were in her children’s shoes, what would have you done? What do you think is the ending of this story?
At the opposite end of the spectrum is my dearest mother, who is the epitome of wellness. When people asks her “do you have any maintenance?” She answers “I am not a vehicle. I don’t need maintenanjce.” At 87, Nanay weighs 110 lbs. with almost 0% Body Fat. She is the only person I know who is not happy eating delicious food. Her taste buds couldn’t differentiate savory from bland. From time immemorial, she eats just to live, inorder for her body to perform its daily tasks. She dreams that a scientist could invent an injection that would fulfill the nutritional requirements of her body so she doesn’t need to eat anymore for the rest of her life. Eating for her is a dreadful chore. While we drool over different types of food on the table, Nanay actually loses the very small appetite that she has when she sees varieties of food in front of her. Nanay doesn’t swallow veggies, meat, and fruits. She just chews them, extract the “juice” and leave the leftover pulp on her plate. Having dessert after lunch or dinner has always been a puzzle to her. She couldn’t understand how people could still eat when they are already full. I tell her “mader, the word “dessert” appears in the dictionary for a reason. And it’s for us to enjoy this simple pleasure. People who know her swears that a bird even eats more than her hahahah . . . Note however that during her prime, Nanay enjoyed competitive sports. She used to win tournaments in tennis, golf, and bowling. She was a very strong woman and still strong at 87. She walks every morning in front of our house and lifts dumbbells from time to time. When people asks her the secret to her longevity, she would answer without batting any eyelash: “enough food, enough sleep, enough exercise, enough stress, and enough money that will last after I’m gone.”
How about you? Would you sacrifice wellness over your happiness?
(Thanks for dropping by my blog and sending your comments/reactions via Messenger. You may also email me at ndelr62@gmail.com. Stay safe everyone!)
