Mind and Body

"These fish are a sign of God's love for me because they have lived for a long time."

That's the sign our daughter has put next to her goldfish bowl. What a precious statement that says a lot about her. Kathryn and her brother, for obvious reasons, have a view of life expectancy that many other children understandably don't.

Several people have told me how sorry they are our children have had to go through Dori's illness. That's a normal feeling ... who wouldn't wonder such a thing? My view is a little different than some. While I acknowledge that feeling, I thought more about how we were going to deal with Dori's leukemia as individuals and as a family. Obviously, I've had to prepare myself and my children to deal with scenarios. Kathryn was direct throughout, talking through it much like I did. Will was less inquisitive but his ears were sponging up everything.

What I see now is a daughter who appreciates life. Cherishes might even be the word. Celebrating two goldfish that have lived three months is something I never would have done. As a kid, I remember flushing several fish down the toilet, thinking, "Oh well," before I went and harassed my sisters. Her sign also tells me she's celebrating her mother's recovery and return to normalcy. That's cool. Now I know why I've been changing the bowl water every day since summer.

Speaking of celebrating, I received good blood results from my annual physical. This is in stark contrast to a letter I received five years ago that contained three indelible words, "You are obese." My cholesterol was also high. This month's report was much better, with everything in the normal range. Both HDL and LDL cholesterol were good, despite my affinity for cheese. The only thing that popped out was my white blood cell count at 4.5, right at the lower end of "normal." I assume the reason is my recent battles with bronchitis and a mini-virus.

So running is good for the body. What a concept! Running is also good for the mind. This week, I read in a running magazine how an 86-year-old woman runner would be fine if she were to die running. Hmmmm. Some friends and I were talking at lunch today when we do our best thinking - driving, walking, exercising, etc. Of course, I said, "Running."

This week, I've run four times - five, three, four and four more miles tonight. On each run, I had clear thoughts about family, work and other parts of my life. Running is a no-brainer because it's so good for the brain.