I have never really lived in a neighborhood that had a great deal of Chinese people living there. For the most part, ethnic diversity in my neighborhoods could be summed up by 3 different cultures: African American, Mexican, and Indian. (Granted in South Florida, there was a whole slew of different cultures, but we only lived there a few months.) So the very first time I went to China Town in San Francisco and saw a large group of people practicing Tai Chi in the public park, I was mesmerized. These were not "young" people. The elders of China Town amazed me. Not just the ones in the park practicing Tai Chi, but all around town. They were strong, healthy and vital.
Once I left China Town, I didn't give it much thought.
My mom has always been a force to be reckoned with. I remember being in junior high and my mom was in her early 40's and she was playing softball with the high schoolers and young adults of our church. She walked 5 miles a day just for a stroll. She wore us out in England and I had to beg for a day off of touring just so I could rest. She was constantly on the go. Even as she was in her 60's going into he 70's she was working out with a personal trainer three times a week and in the gym 6 days a week and she was taking regular Zumba classes (not the senior citizen kind). At nearly 70 years old, she could spend an entire day at Disney World and not blink an eye. She was inspiring!
Life took a turn. My dad died. My mom started hanging out with a man who was not as active as she was. Mom fell a couple of times and broke her elbow and hip. She had a couple of surgeries. She had a hip replacement. And things just didn't really get a whole lot better for her. The arthritis in her knees has gotten so bad, it is very had for her to get up out of a chair or in and out of her car. She has lost range of motion in her arms. She can't walk a quarter of a mile without needing to rest. She tells me, "I never thought I would FEEL this old." She gets discouraged, "I don't want to be walking around with a cane and/or walker like the rest of the people in my apartment complex." My mom is now 78 yeas old. She is back in the gym doing her best to keep moving and stay strong.
I watched her get on and off he recumbent bike. She has to lift her legs with he hands to get her legs over the machines. To get out of a chair and some of the exercise equipment, she has to rock back and forth to get the momentum to get her up on her feet. And I see it. I see the resemblance of motions I am doing now in order to compensate for my left knee that I been seeing the doctor about. There are many times, I am pulling my leg up because the pain to move it on its own is just too great. And I realize that by doing this, I am losing muscle in that leg. It is a vicious circle. My mom was NOT like this at 47 years old. But I am. And it would be a lie to say that it doesn't scare me a bit.
So today, I was driving home from breakfast, and I came across and interesting site. There is an elderly Chinese couple who live in a house down the street. I see them out walking together every day. I do not know how far they walk, but I would gather to say its at least a mile every day. They don't hold hands. I rarely see them talk. But they are always together walking. But today, I drove passed their house and I saw the man outside with a basketball and he threw it. He didn't just toss it. It was an out right throw! He had full range of motion in his arms, and he is strong. I didn't see who he was playing with. Then about an hour later, I went back out and he was still out there playing basketball, only this time, I got a good look at who he was playing with. It was his wife. They were bouncing and throwing this ball around like teenagers. And she was doing some stretches on the ground... some deep lunges. I could only think two thoughts: 1) Wow! It's so cool to see them out playing like kids 2) Look at her stretching! There is no way my knee could tolerate that!
Seeing this elderly Chinese couple every day truly inspires me. I want that to be me and Tracy. I want to be the couple that walks together every day (only we would be holding hands). I want to be the couple that is outside throwing around a ball and playing like we were teenagers. I want to be healthy and spry! I wanna give something for the young kids to talk about!
I am really trying not to have a "whoa as me" moment with my knee. I keep telling myself to power though..suck it up. But damn its painful! There is a point when I straighten out my knee where it feels like it is about to explode, then it pops and there is no pain. But man.....it huts like none other in that point of the motion. I have been dealing with this pain since January....that kind of constant pain takes a toll. *laugh* I will get though this. I know what I want my life to look like, and right now, this is not it. *laugh* I wanna be that elderly Chinese couple! I wanna be that kind of old!
No comments:
Post a Comment