Monkey See, Monkey Do.

Monkey has his eye on you.  It's not about what you say but how you live that Monkey connects with the most.  Monkey is a great mimic, parroting your lifestyle choices almost to a 'T'.  If you refuse to eat vegetables, guess what monkey will hate out of hand.  If you consider "exercise" a trip to the fridge, then monkey won't take exercise seriously.  When we talk about chronic conditions in our community, I am more and more convinced that environment trumps genetic disposition by quite a bit (my opinion).  Besides, most of us cannot affect our genes much one way or another.  But, I'd like to think we have a bit more control over our immediate environment.  The operative word here is 'control'.  Getting a handle on the 'why' of 'what' you do is one of the most important steps in changing the 'what'.  And believe me, it is not all head knowledge.  Many of our observable actions stem from an underground current of emotional hurt, loss, and anguish coursing through us that we have yet to acknowledge much less confront.  I can tell you 20 ways to Sunday how a healthier lifestyle will lead to a better quality of life but, until you feel that the necessary change will be worth the discomfort of change you simply will not change.  I am a nurse so I know what to do to live a healthy lifestyle.  But, it took me watching six family members die at a youngish age from chronic diseases like diabetes to finally wake up to the fact that I can no longer safely do what has always been done in my family.  Monkey see, monkey can't do.  My choices must be different if I want a different outcome.  And as much as I'd like to ask God for a pass so that I can keep doing everything I'd like, what He's given me is a prescription of sorts to do better.  I cannot add one second to my lifespan BUT I can influence the quality of that lifespan just by following His prescription for me.  Sometimes the medicine is a bit bitter but I am learning to like it.  Sorta like green peas.  Which I dislike by the way.  But I love snap peas.  Go figure!
Snap peas and eggs for breakfast. Yikes!

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