Sunday, December 20, 2015

The Greatest Gift


Especially as we age, we begin to realize our time on this planet is limited. If someone close to you is injured or suffers a catastrophic illness or leaves this planet far too young, certainly your thoughts about the future are forever changed? When I was diagnosed with Cancer shortly after my wife lost her leg during 2006, our outlooks once again shifted dramatically. We had new concepts to research.  Religious friends offered prayers. More scientifically oriented colleagues suggested increased positive thinking.   In common was the suggestion that all great challenges overcome, provide spiritual growth and greater strength.   This is very important if you believe that future obstacles are inevitable.  
As if being an amputee was not hard enough, my wife fell at work and suffered a compression fracture of her third lumber vertebrae.  Her mobility became that much harder. Six months later she was in physical therapy and the facility has a gym. I said yes I would give her support and go with her.  We got stronger together. A personal trainer came along with the package. I learned how to use the machines and a lot about how my muscles work.  I knew I was not in bad shape, but had no idea how far away I was from being in good shape!  I was aware that muscle mass continues to degrade especially after age 50. Physical training is about lifting and pumping the heart. But that is not the whole story. 

Jim Fix was author of The Complete Book of Running and undoubtedly influenced all the jogging we see today.   Some suggest he believed the secret was exercise and his biography suggests he was not much concerned with what he ate.   Despite his assumed great physical health, he died of a heart attack at the age of 52 while jogging! 

Diet is a subject to which I have devoted much study.  I have tended  an organic garden for over 40 years.  My soil is alive filled with dozens of minerals, air, water , organic matter, microorganisms and bountiful earthworms.  My fruits and vegetable are as local as it gets, not losing nutrition during weeks of transportation from far away ports.  I am not dependent upon factory farms that use chemicals (artificial fertilizer made only from nitrogen, potassium and phosphorus) and then cover their crops with pesticides to allow production in “dead soil.”  


I spend countless hours  in my garden, reaching a meditative state of existence, watching an army of predatory insects keep down the population of plant eaters that are drawn to weaknesses in the growth process.  Do not our own bodies follow a similar pattern?   Disease festers in our weakest places as our antibodies wage war. With each passing year are regenerative abilities are further challenged. Fortunately our wisdom grows. 

I do believe it matters what type of “fuel” we put into our bodies.  I do believe we need to pump our heart and lift weights appropriately. I also believe that laughter produces  natural drugs within and that meditation has tremendous healing  power.  

So what does all this have to do with Employment Counseling? We help people find worthwhile employment. Ideally, they find a job that returns enough money and work that provides true joy and happiness.  We are engaging with them in a process of healing. To do this well we need to help them and ourselves become as healthy as possible in body, mind and spirit. We all need to make the best possible choices. The greatest gift is this magnificent vehicle we each possess that allows us to interact with one another on this glorious planet, albeit for a rather brief moment in time. 

#GCDF #Get Certified #Michael C. Lazarchick