I loved everything about this post Jack. The storytelling, the message, the inspiration to embrace a life of movement and sustain it. The man rowing with his legs. Stories of your grandpa Captain Morgan. As I age I struggle with the knowledge I need to keep moving, and the kind of joy I get from connected with others here in a chair online. Thanks for traveling and sending your tales back home, like an emigrant sends money back home from a land of abundance.
Hey Rick, thank you so much for reading and taking the time to comment :) always love hearing from you! Makes me super happy to hear you enjoyed this one.
It’s a strange world we’re in. The ability to be more connected than ever, yet oftentimes feeling the least connection. But while most social media feels us leaving hallow, reading essays of those we know is deeply moving and personal, fostering a sense of true connection. Like everything in life, I try to return to a place of balance. Connect online and in real life. Run and lift weights. Eat healthy but enjoy something you love here and there. Stick to a routine but throw in some variety. As my great grandma would say, “everything in moderation, my dear.”
I love the metaphor of sending tales back home. That’s beautiful. And might have inspired me to bring more tales forward in future pieces.
...what great inspirations Jack...when i daydream about being an old grouch i vacillate between working forever and whatever "retirement" might mean, and always land my dream on the thought that a life lived active, creative and productive is the life i am seeking...do i want "the grind" to decrease over time, sure...but i don't ever want to take a step back from going/doing/being...i want to surf at 125 and hike a mountain at 133 and to headbang in a pile of amps at my 142nd birthday party...
Thanks for reading CansaFis :) I share the same mentality… I don’t ever want to stop going and being and doing. I want to be able to move and create and live as fully as I can for as long as I can. Part of the reason why I believe retirement is a flawed concept… I’d rather find something I don’t want to stop doing than be tearing off links of a paper chain til the day I get to retire.
at 75 i was a life insurance actuary once. it is amazing to think what the numbers might be. i am a man blessed with a slightly younger wife who will likely be my caretaker. but who knows what ages we are talking about? and what medical advances will take place. and once we go trumpless in 2024, our future is even brighter.
Absolutely Gary! The advances made in medicine over just the last 50 or 100 years are incredible. And with an increasing focus on the longevity and life expansion field, I can imagine that we’ve only seen the top of the iceberg. It’s very exciting to anticipate the possibilities of science and tech over the horizon… but until then let’s keep exercising and sleeping well! Don’t want to hedge our bets too early ;)
What a beautiful sentiment to your Bampa, Jack!!! Your words illustrate so clearly how much you loved him and the joy and comfort you found in spending time with him. He would have been touched by your testimony. You bring to us wisdom in your observations of lifestyle differences from other cultures. Regular daily movements and activities that are intrenched in cultures outside of North America seem to hold important clues! We need to learn from these examples and especially from those who have walked before us!!! Your writing once again reminds and inspires me to work harder at this mobility and strength regiment as I age. I am nowhere close to being ready to concede I cannot or am not able to perform physically at a level I always have. Think I gotta keep at it and even push it up a notch or two though! Thanks for your writing, Jack!
This is a very thoughtful and timely piece of advice which is basically about daily movement and also about maintaining muscle mass as long as possible... regardless of age. When people of all ages loose muscle - this is called "muscle waisting' (per my doctor). You can see this on people when their skin is kind of saging. I see this at my gym among all ages quite frankly... but mostly senior citizens like me. And once this happens it is a huge up hill battle to try to get back the muscle, and have the skin firm up is next to impossible. At 72 years I keep on exercising every day even if I am tired. It has paid off after these many years.
Hey Tom! Thanks so much for reading :) You put that very well. Continuing to move and maintaining muscle mass as long as possible seem to be two of the most important variables in living fully later in life. And it sounds like you’ve set your lifestyle up to do just that and are enjoying the benefits to be reaped.
I constantly nag my mother to eat enough protein and strength train because I know how horrific sarcopenia/muscle wasting is. Makes me really happy to hear you’ve continued exercising and are living better because of it!
This was some of my favourite storytelling you’ve done Jack. Really interesting to see how you tied an ancient memory to something so recent and new. Interesting contrast.
I agree on your expectations for old age. There’s something Europe and Asia has figured out about the role and work of elders in society that North America hasn’t. We excel at a lot of things but generally suck at confronting aging and death.
Lovely piece & the photographs were a special touch
Thanks buddy, means a lot you enjoyed. This was one of my favourite pieces I wrote to date, I think. Mainly because of the story and how close to heart it is.
You’re completely right. I heard something on a podcast the other day I really liked: some countries are future focused while others are past or present focused. I think you can guess what Canada and the US are (future focused). While that can be good for growing an economy, it also creates a lot of anxiety. And forges beliefs that may lead you to forget all the wisdom of your elders. We don’t have a very healthy relationship with aging or death, but hopefully that changes. As someone prophetically said, a life cannot be lived fully until we accept our own death.
I loved everything about this post Jack. The storytelling, the message, the inspiration to embrace a life of movement and sustain it. The man rowing with his legs. Stories of your grandpa Captain Morgan. As I age I struggle with the knowledge I need to keep moving, and the kind of joy I get from connected with others here in a chair online. Thanks for traveling and sending your tales back home, like an emigrant sends money back home from a land of abundance.
Hey Rick, thank you so much for reading and taking the time to comment :) always love hearing from you! Makes me super happy to hear you enjoyed this one.
It’s a strange world we’re in. The ability to be more connected than ever, yet oftentimes feeling the least connection. But while most social media feels us leaving hallow, reading essays of those we know is deeply moving and personal, fostering a sense of true connection. Like everything in life, I try to return to a place of balance. Connect online and in real life. Run and lift weights. Eat healthy but enjoy something you love here and there. Stick to a routine but throw in some variety. As my great grandma would say, “everything in moderation, my dear.”
I love the metaphor of sending tales back home. That’s beautiful. And might have inspired me to bring more tales forward in future pieces.
You're so right. Paying attention is absolutely essential when the restaurant and the outhouse are right next to each other.
...what great inspirations Jack...when i daydream about being an old grouch i vacillate between working forever and whatever "retirement" might mean, and always land my dream on the thought that a life lived active, creative and productive is the life i am seeking...do i want "the grind" to decrease over time, sure...but i don't ever want to take a step back from going/doing/being...i want to surf at 125 and hike a mountain at 133 and to headbang in a pile of amps at my 142nd birthday party...
Thanks for reading CansaFis :) I share the same mentality… I don’t ever want to stop going and being and doing. I want to be able to move and create and live as fully as I can for as long as I can. Part of the reason why I believe retirement is a flawed concept… I’d rather find something I don’t want to stop doing than be tearing off links of a paper chain til the day I get to retire.
at 75 i was a life insurance actuary once. it is amazing to think what the numbers might be. i am a man blessed with a slightly younger wife who will likely be my caretaker. but who knows what ages we are talking about? and what medical advances will take place. and once we go trumpless in 2024, our future is even brighter.
Absolutely Gary! The advances made in medicine over just the last 50 or 100 years are incredible. And with an increasing focus on the longevity and life expansion field, I can imagine that we’ve only seen the top of the iceberg. It’s very exciting to anticipate the possibilities of science and tech over the horizon… but until then let’s keep exercising and sleeping well! Don’t want to hedge our bets too early ;)
...appreciate that optimism gary...to a hundred more of these...
Cheers to that… I truly hope so
What a beautiful sentiment to your Bampa, Jack!!! Your words illustrate so clearly how much you loved him and the joy and comfort you found in spending time with him. He would have been touched by your testimony. You bring to us wisdom in your observations of lifestyle differences from other cultures. Regular daily movements and activities that are intrenched in cultures outside of North America seem to hold important clues! We need to learn from these examples and especially from those who have walked before us!!! Your writing once again reminds and inspires me to work harder at this mobility and strength regiment as I age. I am nowhere close to being ready to concede I cannot or am not able to perform physically at a level I always have. Think I gotta keep at it and even push it up a notch or two though! Thanks for your writing, Jack!
This is a very thoughtful and timely piece of advice which is basically about daily movement and also about maintaining muscle mass as long as possible... regardless of age. When people of all ages loose muscle - this is called "muscle waisting' (per my doctor). You can see this on people when their skin is kind of saging. I see this at my gym among all ages quite frankly... but mostly senior citizens like me. And once this happens it is a huge up hill battle to try to get back the muscle, and have the skin firm up is next to impossible. At 72 years I keep on exercising every day even if I am tired. It has paid off after these many years.
Hey Tom! Thanks so much for reading :) You put that very well. Continuing to move and maintaining muscle mass as long as possible seem to be two of the most important variables in living fully later in life. And it sounds like you’ve set your lifestyle up to do just that and are enjoying the benefits to be reaped.
I constantly nag my mother to eat enough protein and strength train because I know how horrific sarcopenia/muscle wasting is. Makes me really happy to hear you’ve continued exercising and are living better because of it!
Best,
Jack
This was some of my favourite storytelling you’ve done Jack. Really interesting to see how you tied an ancient memory to something so recent and new. Interesting contrast.
I agree on your expectations for old age. There’s something Europe and Asia has figured out about the role and work of elders in society that North America hasn’t. We excel at a lot of things but generally suck at confronting aging and death.
Lovely piece & the photographs were a special touch
Thanks buddy, means a lot you enjoyed. This was one of my favourite pieces I wrote to date, I think. Mainly because of the story and how close to heart it is.
You’re completely right. I heard something on a podcast the other day I really liked: some countries are future focused while others are past or present focused. I think you can guess what Canada and the US are (future focused). While that can be good for growing an economy, it also creates a lot of anxiety. And forges beliefs that may lead you to forget all the wisdom of your elders. We don’t have a very healthy relationship with aging or death, but hopefully that changes. As someone prophetically said, a life cannot be lived fully until we accept our own death.