Physical Calisthenics and Other Mental Exercises

My sister took after my dad's side of the family.

Now, my dad, he took after Mom's side of the family, none of whom were into physical sports. The closest any of them ever got to physical activity was if the topic came up in a conversation.

Mom is the only one in her family's geneology who didn't inherit the intellectual gene. When those squiggly little DNAs were swimming downstream, Mom caught the one marked: Drama, Stage and Singing Career.

The reason I mention this is because a long-handled monster caught ahold of me yesterday and wouldn't let go. The monster's name is "Rake." It had me by both hands, and just kept on struttin' its stuff with last Fall's leaves, till I was near exhausted trying to keep up with it.

Shortly after it began its rakey business, I was gasping for air. This, by gum, was an endurance test for the fittest. It rated right up there with the Iron Man Competition. Didn't this monster rake know our family's DNA wasn't exercise prone? It builds up too much adrenalin in our systems.

As far back as I can remember, our family found folks whose DNA matched up with "Rake" and hired them to indulge these physical enterprises.

I did mention my sister, didn't I? And our O-T-H-E-R grandparents. The farmers? They were earthy people close to the soil of life. Mental gymnastics left them chasing after the question mark in their minds.

So what transpired yesterday was a war of the DNAs.

The Rake, an innocent victim in this whole affair, had accidently gotten itself into the wrong family hands. And then, believing it was right, wouldn't let go.

I probably wouldn't have done so poorly in this endeavor if I didn't smoke nicotine. Obviously, it's not the tobacco in Camel straights that'll do you in. It's the nicotine. And the sedentary nature of an intellectualholic. Combined, these two habits are deadly.

When you are well past your point of physical stamina, mind transcends the condition and strange thoughts drop unannounced into your awareness. Such as: Folks of a purely physical bent often live longer than intellectuals. But they are bored. Their mind has nothing to do while their bodies exercise.

Folks with an intellectual inclination believe they can master the art of the physical if they just "set their minds to it." THAT's why so many of them die young.

Perhaps, I should just explain this to that rake the next time it decides to execute a war dance with a yardfull of leaves.

DNA wars are hazardous to one's health.
Physical Calisthenics and Other Mental Exercises © 2005 Chaeli Sullivan