John is recovering well from the heart attack he had on Tuesday. Now we are working on making adjustments in our lives to make our values and actions match up better. Specifically, we are working on living in a healthy manner.
We have begun the herculean task of changing our family’s diet. Considering that our kids have our genes, they will be at a high risk of having a heart attack as they get older. My mom died of a heart attack at the age of just 42 and John had his first heart attack at 38. It’s crucial for our boys to take good care of their bodies if they are going to enjoy some longevity in life.
Also, it’s ridiculously hard to make lifestyle changes like, eating healthy when the people around you are indulging in whatever looks good at the time. We have learned that willpower is like a muscle. When you use it all the time, it gets worn out and it gets harder to make those good choices. We are not going to have any one of us struggle because of the others. Instead, we are in this together.
So John went over the “cardiac diet” with us the other night. It’s about five and a half pages long and the boy’s eyes glazed over somewhere around page three. This is going to take some time.
But we have commitment on our side. A heart attack is enough to scare a person pretty good. While good intentions are nice, having committed people behind you will help you go a lot farther. I’m grateful to have some good support on our side.
In Ecclesiastes, chapter 4, it says:
Two are better than one,
because they have a good return for their labor:
If either of them falls down,
one can help the other up.
But pity anyone who falls
and has no one to help them up.
Also, if two lie down together, they will keep warm.
But how can one keep warm alone?
Though one may be overpowered,
two can defend themselves.
A cord of three strands is not quickly broken.
This quote from the Old Testament is a good reminder of some ancient wisdom: it’s better to have support than to go at it alone. Bringing our values and actions into alignment is tough work. But it’s really important in the long run. Getting some support in this work will definitely be worthwhile.
