Wednesday, November 01, 2006

Petrified

I suppose my fixation with change has some root in fear--my fear that I will become wholly unchangeable and unresponsive to new challenges in life. I'm petrified of being petrified.

This fear is not completely unfounded. I'm a young man, but in some ways I feel very old. How long have I been wanting to be more healthy in my daily routine? For years I've set and re-set the goal to exercise more regularly, eat more healthily. But my eating and exercising (or lack thereof) habits die hard. For how many years have I determined every few weeks that I need to read my scriptures more regularly and study the gospel more carefully? My conviction is usually born during the sacrament and lost before I pull into the driveway three hours later.

Ben Franklin spent every week of his life focusing on some new virtue to master, from what I understand. And I'm a big fan of Ben's (notwithstanding the scandals). How could he possibly have been so good at really implementing changes in himself on a regular basis? Why am I so much like a rock?

O that ye would awake; awake from a deep sleep, yea, even from the sleep of hell, and shake off the awful chains by which ye are bound, which are the chains which bind the children of men, that they are carried away captive down to the eternal gulf of misery and woe. (2Nephi 1:13)

6 comments:

Chris said...

You know what you should do? Train for a marathon.

Loyalist (with defects) said...

I know that J. Golden Kimball didn't utter this but if he were alive it certainly sounds like something he would say.

"Do It Now! Damnit!"

I am most definitely the last person that should comment on change - but I also have to concur with Chris on this one - except you should try for a Triathlon. :-)

-L- said...

I registered for the St. George marathon once. Does that count for anything? ;-) They were already full. Phew.

I actually really like that idea a lot. Not to mention the fact that running a marathon is on my list of things to do someday...

Chris said...

Running a marathon was one of the best things I did for myself this past year. I got in great shape, I got some discipline into my daily routine, I watched what I ate, and the sense of accomplishment after crossing the finish line still brings tears to my eyes a week and a half later.

-L- said...

Seems like several bloggers in my sidebar have run marathons of late... I guess I should try to fit in more!

Loyalist (with defects) said...

It's very trendy.

but I think that the tears chris mentions is partially due to the pain from running. I could be bias about running though. :-)