DO YOU FEAR BEING THINNER?

Forgive us, we're still struggling to get back to the idea of posting regularly, so with that in mind we're re-posting one of our more popular columns.

So, do you fear being thinner?

I'm sure that many of us who have struggled to lose weight think that is a supremely stupid question, but let's think about it for a moment.

Most human behavior is a quest to satisfy some inner – and usually unrealized – desire. In other words, we wouldn't do it if we weren't, consciously or unconsciously, getting something out of it.

Consider people who go from one abusive relationship to another. Why would they do this? Perhaps because it satisfies some inner need to be punished for a real or imagined sin. How often do you hear one of them say, “It was my fault. I deserved it”. NOBODY deserves it. (My opinion.)

The same theory often applies to those who are overweight. They are well aware that they are harming their bodies – and quite possibly shortening their lives – by carrying around those excess pounds, but they seem unable to correct the situation. Maybe they've found a reason. Is it genetic? A glandular problem? Lack of support from family members? Or is it something else?

What are they getting out of being overweight? Well, for one thing, it gives them an excuse for failing, for being depressed and then indulging that old pleasure center in the brain that is demanding a couple of Snicker's Bars. People don't expect as much from you when you're fat, so it takes some of the pressure off. You don't have to think as much about what you're eating. You just eat what you want, and usually what you want is something quick and easy and plentiful – like fast food and bags of snacks.

Being slender and maintaining a healthy weight is a lot more work than just eating mindlessly. The payoff is a healthy, longer life that is living – not just existing. The payoff is being there for your loved ones and feeling great every day. The payoff is being grateful for the wonderful body you have been given and loving life.

Pretty good payoff, huh?

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HAPPY VALENTINE'S DAY

                                    Valentine wishes from Robin and Doris at Over 40? So What!

WE'RE STAMPING OUT THE USPS

     
    Well, as of August, there will be no Saturday postal service, except for packages.  In case you were thinking of complaining about this injustice, remember. we were responsible for curtailing our own mail service.

     I am just as guilty as anyone, since I use the internet to pay my bills, send greeting cards, correspond with friends, etc.  I used to buy a book of stamps every couple of weeks.  Now I have almost a full book of Christmas stamps that I stamp the occasional letter with.  

    I heard on the news last night that for the Postal Service to maintain our services, they would have to charge $1.04 for a first class stamp.  You'd have to keep your stamps in your safe deposit box if that happened.  You could bequeath them to your children.

     The world it is a-changin' and, like the post office, we either have to learn to live with the changes or get the heck out of the way.  Sometimes I yearn for the good old days, but not when I'm loading the dishwasher, or watching a first-run movie without leaving the house, or diagnosing my latest ailments on Web.MD.  For everything we have given up, we have received - for good or ill - ten things in return.

      Anyway, I don't imagine having no Saturday delivery will have as much impact as it  would have only a few years ago.  


                 Neither snow nor rain nor heat nor gloom of night stays these 
                  couriers from the swift completion of their appointed rounds.

                                                  But budget problems?  Meh