Being a kid, I didn't realize how profound this was until I became old enough to experience life outside that safety net we like to call "home."
My Dad was a complicated guy. He was a genius, very hard working, creative, detail obsessed, and died before his time. Among the many lessons he taught me by example, the most important one was this: He was at his most successful, most happy, the best Dad, and most joyful and inspirational parent, when he was exercising, eating well, and actively engaged in pursuits that gave him pleasure.
It was dramatic. The same thing happened with my Mom, who is beautiful, funny, creative, and nurturing. I'm very lucky to have had such gifted parents. Thankfully Mom is still alive and we stay in touch.
My life was remarkably better when they were exercising in whatever way they enjoyed. Mom loved Bonnie Prudden and Lilias! Yoga and You and would shoo us kids out of the room so she could get a decent workout. I'd watch every chance I got because her enthusiasm was so captivating and the exercises looked so weird. For Dad, it was running. He was running 5 miles a day in the dark before going to work every day and loved every minute of it. They had a sparkle, a zest, a light inside of them that lit up the room during the times in their lives that they pursued their joy in the midst of everyday life. The difference was amazing.
Perhaps Mom's beloved Bonnie Prudden said it best: "Keep Fit Be Happy."
