Yesterday I rode my bicycle, and I planned my ride so it included a visit to the polls (it was election day). I didn’t want to ride my bicycle, and I didn’t want to vote. For some reason, yesterday I just didn’t care, and I didn’t want to do two things I know are good for me. I could have put the bike ride off, but I couldn’t comfortably live with myself if I didn’t vote, so I decided to kill two birds I didn’t want with one stone: a bicycle ride to the polls.
As usual, I felt much better after a couple of pedal strokes, and I felt awesome voting in my bicycle helmet and gloves. I turned heads. I like to turn heads. And, let me tell you, I voted as you might expect a person who rides a bicycle in this community to vote…I voted differently than my neighbors. But that’s not my point.
I took a different route home, and I spotted one of my neighbors out raking his leaves. Most of our neighbors have lawn services, so he goes a little against the grain, too. Lately he’s been alluding to the fact that his health isn’t so good, so I stopped to learn from him what’s going on. He lives alone and has no family in town, and if his health is failing, he’ll need some support.
I learned that the kidney disease my neighbor has lived with for many years is rapidly shifting; he’ll probably soon begin dialysis and go on a transplant waiting list. (I asked him what he needed. He said, “A donor.” Uh oh. I’ll save the conversation that occured between my higher and lower natures upon hearing that response for another post.)
Here’s my point today: I have Type 1 Diabetes. My neighbor has kidney disease. Neither of us knew of the others’ disease even though we’ve lived with these companions for a long time. I was riding my bicycle. He was raking his leaves. We were not sitting inside watching TV and complaining. We talked a little bit about being healthy people who happen to have diseases. Then we got all worked up talking about politics (we lean the same way).
Yes, disease may take us. It may change what we do and how we do it. So there you go. Disease does not get to make us unhealthy or unhappy.
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