Health as Wealth

                                                             (53 year old hamstrings!)


The most valuable asset you posses has little value until you loose it, or it becomes compromised...your health. I don't have riches or IRA's or investments in Swiss bank accounts. I do have my health. My body feels better and performs better now in my 50s than it did in my 20s, and I was in great shape back then! I have an appetite like I always have had and enjoy my food and other hungers even more now.My flexibility is more so and my strength has changed, not diminished.My mind is still sharp and my memory even surprises me!

I have made many deposits into my health account. I chose sleep, and good food, and exercise many times over quick pleasures and "time-killing." T'ai-Chi and meditation have kept me from a lot of colds and helped with injuries both physical and mental. I have pursued learning and teaching and the simple study of life, mainly through observation. Although I have spent a lot of money on teachers and teachings, most of my greatest accomplishments have been only for the price of my time and energy. Ever heard of "paying attention?" You pay with your attention, not your credit card.Walking in the woods is still mostly free, yet it pays back ten-fold on my state of mind.

My teacher, Master T. T. Liang, always said "Health is a matter of the utmost importance." He passed away peacefully at age 102, after decades of teaching people and changing lives for the better. We have wealth beyond money or gold in our health. This becomes apparent after a certain age, but still needs to be taught to young people.With the looming crisis of childhood obesity and diabetes, not to mention all the stress even the very young are carrying now, health needs to be taught in the home, at school, and in the public.We could ask our government to spend money on paying health teachers to be on staff at our schools and investing in the health of our youth instead of making more weapons and bombs. There are so many forms of exercise beyond the normal sports programs. As long as it gets kids moving and helps reduce stress, that is criterion enough. What about retirement homes? The elders in our society need mental and physical movement and stimulation.

How is your bank account? Not the one you deposit and withdraw money from, but the health account that you use for your daily life? How is your "retirement plan?" Where your heart goes, there goes your wealth. Is your health in your heart? I wish you all glowing health, well-being, peace, and longevity.