Now, when you first hear this simple phrase, you might be thinking to yourself, "Just what the hell does this have to do with health and fitness?"
Well, first of all, remember that one of the three core areas of overall health and fitness at every level is mental fitness, and even spiritual fitness plays a large part in the importance of this lesson, even though I failed to realize it at the time as a militant atheist that believed anyone who believed in anything beyond science, what we CURRENTLY know about the universe at large, was some sort of loon.
"Never stop writing. It’s good for you.” Those words, that maxim of my High School English teacher, Mr. Edolo, are words that I will always remember. Words that have enabled me thrive for the years since I took his class all those years ago. It may seem like a fairly simple statement, a phrase that, much like many of his sayings, is deceptively straightforward at first glance, and yet upon further reflection, there is profound depth to be found beyond the specific structure of his words. I have always had a passion for writing, but it wasn’t until then that I realized the true power of the written word, and decided once and for all that no matter where my future may take me, I will always be sure to bring a notepad.
His final assignment for the class was based on the novel The Things They Carried, written by Tim O'Brien, in which I began to truly understand the meaning of evaluating writing. The book itself may seem like a fairly simple reflection of a soldier’s time serving in the Vietnam War, but it isn’t until the end of the book that the lines of the portrait created by puzzle pieces finally revealed themselves.
Much like so many people in this world, I was carrying far too much, bearing a weight that threatened to take away everything I had. I needed an outlet, a way to ease that burden, and understanding that message, evaluating the true meaning behind the text, may have indeed saved my life. Twenty-two pages were submitted for that assignment, but I never stopped writing, and more importantly, I never stopped looking for the deeper meaning of the text.
Overall, this lesson provided
me with an even deeper understanding of just about everything in my life, let alone the books that I read, and now I share that same lesson with you in hopes that it has a similar impact.
Well, first of all, remember that one of the three core areas of overall health and fitness at every level is mental fitness, and even spiritual fitness plays a large part in the importance of this lesson, even though I failed to realize it at the time as a militant atheist that believed anyone who believed in anything beyond science, what we CURRENTLY know about the universe at large, was some sort of loon.
"Never stop writing. It’s good for you.” Those words, that maxim of my High School English teacher, Mr. Edolo, are words that I will always remember. Words that have enabled me thrive for the years since I took his class all those years ago. It may seem like a fairly simple statement, a phrase that, much like many of his sayings, is deceptively straightforward at first glance, and yet upon further reflection, there is profound depth to be found beyond the specific structure of his words. I have always had a passion for writing, but it wasn’t until then that I realized the true power of the written word, and decided once and for all that no matter where my future may take me, I will always be sure to bring a notepad.
The narrator concludes the story by admitting that the entire tale may or may not be factually correct. The details may be fuzzy, and some events could have simply been creations of his mind, but none of that really matters. What matters is that it is how he remembered and experienced it. Factual or not, it is his story, his war story. Our assignment was based off this lesson, being completely open-ended aside from the simple guideline of telling our own “War Story”. As someone who had sixteen surgical procedures by the age of twelve, along with a host of psychological disorders, I found that much like the soldiers returning from Vietnam.
Much like so many people in this world, I was carrying far too much, bearing a weight that threatened to take away everything I had. I needed an outlet, a way to ease that burden, and understanding that message, evaluating the true meaning behind the text, may have indeed saved my life. Twenty-two pages were submitted for that assignment, but I never stopped writing, and more importantly, I never stopped looking for the deeper meaning of the text.
During my final years of college, I was, yet again, going through an invisible war being waged within my mind and body, corrupting two of the most essential aspects of my fitness despite being in the best physical shape of my life. The timing couldn’t have been any better. Though I thought I knew much about the power of the written word, this lesson, this invaluable maxim that I will never forget, never stop passing on to anyone who will listen with a story worth sharing, and whether you realize it or not, your story is worth sharing. In fact, I would bet good money on that fact, considering that if you're reading this blog in the first place, there's something within your heart of gold which pushes you further, never accepting defeat, and always striving for improvement.
Overall, this lesson providedme with an even deeper understanding of just about everything in my life, let alone the books that I read, and now I share that same lesson with you in hopes that it has a similar impact.
So, my loyal followers, if you remember nothing else, just remember this: never stop writing. It's good for you: mind, body, and soul.
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