TJ's Gym Weekly News 07/24/2018
MEMBER SPOTLIGHT
It may or may not be a coincidence that this photo of the incomparable Jimmy headlines a message about consistency and functionality in training for the long haul and for the enjoyment of retirement.
Message from TJ:
The Next Phase...
I've had the opportunity to chat with my neighbor, B, a bunch of times lately. He's not the type of Marinite you see much these days. Originally from Ireland, he volunteered for the US Navy through a post-WW2 program and was granted his citizenship after serving his four years. He was stationed on the Midway, the largest ship in the world at the time. In 1955, he walked off of the aircraft carrier for the last time and onto Treasure Island, took a look around and said "Well, this will do." He started working right away with Bechtel in Sausalito. He and his wife found a small home in Larkspur lived the American Dream.
B retired 32 years later with a full pension. He and his wife were both very active in the local community. Ever since we moved our family into the neighborhood ten years ago, we've been amazed at the damn-near-daily work B and his wife put into their garden. Most of the neighbors kept an eye on the them. One day last summer, B fell in his backyard and another neighbor tracked me down to ask if I could come across the street to help. B had fallen in his back yard, had rolled to his garage, and was trying to push himself to standing inside of the doorway. He and his wife were both laughing about the whole thing, and, thankfully, B was fine. He grabbed my arm, winked and said "Keep up the good work" as he gave my arm a squeeze. There was another recent incident with an ambulance, after B had basically cut off a finger with a power tool. Again, he joked. He was more inconvenienced than anything, and he certainly didn't want anyone's sympathy.
Unfortunately, B's wife died suddenly six months ago. We've been popping over ever since for quick chats. Turns out B had a stroke seven years ago and got a pacemaker six months ago. He now has a full-time caretaker who is keeping him as active as possible. I asked him today how old he was. "84", he said.
Honestly, I was in shock. To me, he seems like he's in his late 90's.
What I have found is that we don't want to deal with the future because the present is hard enough as it is, Thank you very much. We worry about the burdens the future holds for us at different times. Many of us focus on getting ourselves financially straight, which is, of course, massively important. But do we do the same with our health? Do we make the same investment and spend the same time and energy considering our options and harnessing control of what we can?
I say it all the time. From my viewpoint, nobody seems to be crushing retirement. Being tan doesn't make you happy or healthy. Neither do golf outings, tennis matches, or brunches. You are given the greatest gift of all: TIME. Please plan accordingly, so that if this luxurious windfall comes your way, you are prepared. Get strong, stay strong, fear weakness, challenge yourself everyday. Your 80's and 90's are going to be different from those decades in any generation before us. You will be needed. You will be relied upon by others. You cannot afford to burden anyone.
You can never live off of the interest of that "other" account. You need to make a deposit every day, for the rest of your life.
Consistency over Intensity. Functional over Fashionable.
Keep crushing your Summer.
~TJ