Putting the puzzle together

“Once more unto the breach, dear friends, once more;” a wonderful line from Shakespeare's King Henry speech. I will close this blog with another wonderful line from that speech. If you are a Star Trek fan in Star Trek VI the Klingon general calls Capt. Kirk to

Putting the puzzle together

war again with that line.

One of the discoveries that I've made since writing the blog is how many times I have renewed my effort towards some health goal. It is humbling to report how difficult it is to put it altogether. There are many stories of people losing a lot of weight, reaching some fitness goal and making a real statement of success and how they did it. Their effort is validated and their credibility is substantial. And then there is me, whoa is me.

Was it John Lennon who said something like, “Life happens when you're planning something else.” My quest for being healthy started 8 years ago. Within the first two years I was able to lose close to 70 pounds. At that point I begin to write the blog to share what I've learned. But then a series of events occurred based on an insomnia that I have been facing which lead to an depression.

At this point, I was beginning to realize health has many layers. Living through my recovery has given me many insights. With retirement, came a couple injuries which took the walking out as I healed. Along the way it became apparent added it to equation was aging. Healing and recovery and making progress slows down a bit. Forrest Gump would tell us with great wisdom, “xxxx happens”. Which is in its own way has become a theme throughout the fat Man blog. I cannot tell you with great assurance that my route to health is no quick fix plan.

We have all had our favorinte shows like Monk which ran for eight years. The character lives on in novels and I hope will be returned with good stories for movies. For some successful shows like Monk they are able to resolve the story and have a good final season.

When does a blog end? For readers it can end anytime they choose. For the writer I think a blog can move along or when the writer is no longer interested. One of my goals with the blog is to become better writer. Another one is to encourage people when they're ready to look at their health. It can be pretty discouraging to be overweight, have a chronic health problem, and to look at health from an aging point of view.

From the start I have looked at our enemies, heart disease, diabetes, and cancer. In partnership with these diseases are many other issues like dementia, depression and anxiety which can put a gray dark view on aging. There is a goal of healthy aging and lifestyle changes that help us with our enemies. It is wonderful to have a blog that touches all of us regardless of our political, religious, philosophical points of view.

This brings me back to the opening on this blog, a personal call to myself to put the things together where there is a successful outcome. I realize it is a day by day personal decision to do things that are good for you like eating less, moving more, finding simple purpose each day. With God's help I want to take in the life that happens with both its blessings and trials. One thing that I like about the blog is that I'm still here.

From King Henry's speech comes another wonderful line. “The game's afoot: Follow your spirit, and upon this charge Cry 'God for Harry, England, and Saint George!’” 

Keep walking