madermouse's Diaryland Diary ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 8/22/03 First, if you haven�t read Fred�s entry for today - DO IT. Because I�m going to comment on it here. Did you go read it? Good. Now, here�s what I have to say about the whole matter...and here�s what I wrote Fred back. �Fred,
Yep, I'm sure you have a thousand e-mails about today's entry. (or maybe not - I tend to be wrong in my predictions lately....stop predicting you say? NEVER!! I hear truth in both of the sides presented in your entry today. That woman has some valid points. You do For example, I wrote your wife last week to thank her for the shoes she sent me, which I won in a raffle. My financial picture has been very grim lately. I found myself in the position of either having to wear worn-out tennis shoes that were physically causing me pain or stop exercising - because I couldn't afford to buy another pair of shoes. The generosity of your wife made the difference in my ability to continue exercising! And because I'm still a pretty large girl (288lbs), I can't exercise in just any old flip-flops without severe pain. My point here? Its that having money DOES make things easier. Having money to spend on healthy foods - instead of mac n' cheese 3 for a buck - does help. Having cash to buy books on tape or a new gym can make your workouts more pleasant, more fun. Being able to know you can buy another pair of walking shoes when the soles of the ones you are wearing have grown thin - it helps. But having money doesn't make your choices for you. Having money doesn't get your ass out of bed at 4am to walk 5 miles & pump iron. Having the green won't steer you clear from battered artichokes with ranch dressing or eggs benedict or eating fast foods. You worked hard to get where you are - maybe we all need to look at ourselves and ask "How can I better myself, so I can live an easier life in the future?" I've asked myself this question, and the answer is that I'm too lazy to work 3 jobs & go to school (like you did). I'm too afraid of losing security to venture off and open my own business (like you did). So the consequences of my answer, is that I often find myself in a "grim" financial picture. Its a price to pay, and everything has a price. Finally, I hope that you realize this woman is obviously having trouble with her lifestyle change. Lots of us have trouble, Fred. I've had trouble. Its not always easy for me to stay on track, and it seldom feels effortless. But I just keep putting one foot in front of the other, because I never want to see 375lbs again. You are right, it doesn't matter how much money you have - it's about how much you want it. I'm proof of that. You have a wonderful attitude that keeps you going strong, and you are truly one of a kind. I actually enjoyed reading a bit about your past, and hope that you might continue to include other parts of your persona in your journals. Sincerely, Madermouse� The reason I share this letter with you, is because Fred�s site really instigated some reaction in me. I guess I�ve been on both sides of the fence, so to speak. Financially, I am very limited in what I can purchase to assist me to my weight-loss goal. Yet I�m continuing to lose...(although maybe not this week, folks.) But for the most part, I�ve managed to find ways to cut back, to exercise, to eat right, and to change my lifestyle. I don�t think it takes a lot of cold hard cash to do that. But I do think it makes the change a lot more pleasant. Any comments? I�d love to hear them. E-mail me here. 12:45 p.m. - 8/22/03 ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |
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