Sunday Morning Reflections - You Can't Hide from Bad Genes

© olly

Sunday mornings I'm always off track. I love to write about whatever is on my mind. I get great feedback from many of you and just silence from those of you think it's the wrong approach for a blog about professional photography. Well this morning I'm like a derailed train and it simply feels right - so bear with me and see what you think.
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A few years ago Joe Buissink and I were talking about health challenges as we get older, and he said something that stuck with me,

"You can hide from a lot of things but not bad genes!" 


We see it all the time, but I doubt if anybody ever thinks about it. For example, I've still got a full head of hair. My Dad had a full head too - right up to 93. When we go back to any high school reunion, I'm in the minority of guys with lots of hair still. Neither Dad or I had anything directly to do with the results.

Well, those genes carry down to everything we have to deal with when it comes to our health. I've been absent from posting and blogging for a few days going through what's called an "ablation." It involved an overnight stay in the hospital and then just kicking back and chilling for a few days. I chose to close my office door and never went in. I scanned email once and here I am, four days later, feeling terrific and slowly getting back into the environment I love the most.

Things happen that we have no control over, but the one area most important is taking care of yourself. Whether you're married or single doesn't matter; there are people in your life who expect you to be around. 

So, when it comes to my genes, I've got a long list of inherited challenges. I've tried to figure out whose side of the family each "defect" comes from, and it's 50/50 thanks to both Dad and Mom's history. However, I choose not to follow in their footsteps.  I've stopped saying I'm too busy and walk every day with Sheila. We don't eat a lot of fried foods. I've become a one glass of wine guy, and I stay away from foods loaded with processed sugar. I'm healthier than I was a year ago, but not where I hope to be a year from now. 

Here's my point with this short post this morning.  Start taking responsibility for your health, both physically and mentally. Recognize you can't hide from bad genes, but you sure can avoid letting them sink their roots into your core. 

Take care of yourself for you, because you've got so much to give and share with the rest of us. And best of all, just think of what it's going to be like to be an old fart 20-30 years from now and tell your grandchildren what pixels were because we all know technology never stops. Who knows what we'll be shooting with twenty years from now? And YEAH, I do expect to still be here!

As always, make it a great Sunday. Let's go beyond the eleven-second hugs and spend quality time with somebody special in your life - that one person who you want to be healthy for beyond the face in the mirror. Most important of all, thank you for being a reader, a follower, and a friend.

Happy Sunday everybody.

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