Stardate: 29th June 2014
Sitting beside my grandparents, who are renewing their wedding vows… to celebrate their 50th year of marriage. The pastor said ‘you may kiss the bride’, and my grandfather started kissing her as if he’d never kissed her before. Twice. Three times. Five times… to the shock & amazement of the congregation.
50 years… and still as in love as day 1.
In the same instance, the pastor informs us that Barbados ranks 10th in THE WORLD in divorces… w/ the instance increasing exponentially the longer a couple have been together. These two proudly defy those statistics.
So much to learn here. So much…
Things like:
– Hard work: My grandfather retired at close to 70. When he came home, his body immediately started to break down because, for the first time in his life, he was sedentary. He started doing a lot of outdoor work, and that was reversed. My grandmother, to this day, does a lot of walking and gardening
– Living a life devoid of spite, and malicious element: These two are the sweetest people I’ve ever met. Yesterday at the their renewal celebration, loads of people said the same thing. “Godmother/Grandparents to many”. I’m guessing that it’s true that happy people live longer.
– Sensible eating: That’s always been a factor in our home… particularly since my great-grandmother, who lived with us for many years, was diabetic, obese, and bed-ridden. really was a wake-up call.
– Spiritual grounding: My grandmother, ironically, was the spiritual head of our home. Our leanings, life-views, et al followed her belief structure and example. There were/are a lot of things that were never allowed footing in her home, and she managed that without prejudice… always with a spirit of tolerance. I don’t know how… but she did it.
– Each other: They are the most playful couple I know. Even in silence, they have each other.
/longevityFormula
Bless.
Yours in fitness,
-Corey “Narkissos” Springer
Apollo Fitness Barbados 