Life as a House (8/05/2011)

Originally published August 5, 2011

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You go and find an incredible house or apartment. You pay your monthly mortgage or rent. You love this space so you go shopping for it. You pay attention to every detail. The furniture is hand-selected, the paint swatches are painfully chosen, the window treatments agonized over. You have each accent and accessory in the spot most pleasing to the eye. You maintain this house by keeping up the painting, you wash the walls every 6 months, you dust the furniture to a fine polish, you clean the carpets, wax any hard floors. You keep it pristine because this is your living space. a source of pride and joy.

Perhaps your pride and joy is your car. You keep the wheels balanced, you change the oil regularly, and check all of its fluids. The car is washed and waxed until it sparkles in the sunlight. The interior is painfully clean. Should anyone think of dropping crumbs on the upholstery you go bananas because this is your car. Your source of pride.

You live in your body. It is your vehicle. It's with you where ever you go. If you do all of these things for inanimate objects why would you not do it for your living breathing temple? Why would you not eat foods and drink fluids that keep your body clean and running in top condition much like changing a car's oil. Why would you not exercise? It's choosing the way you look, much like you went out and chose each piece in your house. If you pay this much attention to your physical surroundings, care this much for things you own, why not pay this same amount of attention to yourself?

I know I know you are not a car and you are not a house, but you still need to be maintained. If you let you home or car fall into disrepair what do you think will happen? The car stops running and the roof caves in on the house due to neglect. Would you let this happen if it was within your power to stop it? Of course not.

So why would you neglect your body if you wouldn't neglect your house or car -- two things I might remind you you can always find time to attend to. Remember your body is your temple. your home and your vehicle. Get up get moving and don't let it fall into disrepair.