Get outside and get living - Books by Eric Douglas

I wrote this last week, before the awful events on Monday. I think it is doubly important to get outside, breathe some fresh air and enjoy life. You never know when it will be cut short. Tomorrow is not guaranteed.

Doing some yard work last weekend I realized I’m not 20 anymore. As a writer, my job is mostly sedentary and I told my wife I’ve come to realize I’m not even in particularly good shape for a 45-year-old. Of course, I can always make excuses that this past winter was nasty enough that I couldn’t get outside and do much. That would just be an excuse, though.

I recently read a review of a local restaurant from someone who was just passing through town on their way south. The writer made the point that he didn’t understand why West Virginia has the reputation for being overweight. He said there are Stairmasters everywhere you look. You just have to go outside and climb up a hill.

A good friend and a veteran of two tours as part of Operation Iraqi Freedom, David Dean, told me recently when I interviewed him for the upcoming Voices of War documentary about West Virginia war veterans “What really saved me from that first tour was working on the river as a river guide. It was just peaceful. It let me get out of the war mode and back into a living mode.”

A week or so ago, a report came out that identified Charleston as the Most Unhappy place in the country to live. “The Gallup-Healthways Well-being Index score is an average of six sub-indexes, which individually examine life evaluation, emotional health, work environment, physical health, healthy behaviors, and access to basic necessities.” The Huntington-Ashland area held this position for the last two years and has moved into the second-most unhappy place. When I commented on this on my blog, Brad Deel replied:

“There are several things Charleston could do to encourage healthier behaviors. There is no reason a person shouldn’t be able to get on a hiking/running/biking path in Charleston and travel up the Elk to Coonskin. Several consultants have suggested changing from 4 lanes to 2 travel lanes with a center turn lane combined with an expanded riverside walkway. Connecting trails with clear marking is another way to make it easier. It’s not just a quality of life issue. Businesses look for things like this when they think of relocating. Creating a vibrant trail system would require creative thinking, a master plan, and solid public/private partnerships but Charleston may be the only capital city in the country without interconnected trails.”

A couple days ago a friend told me he was going fishing this past weekend in Pocahontas County. He said I should come along. At first I demurred with all the standard excuses; too much to do, busy, can’t get away. And then it hit me that I needed to get back to living mode myself. I haven’t done anything as stressful as going to war. Instead, I’ve gotten out of the habit of being outside and being active. I called him back and told him I was coming. It was great to get outside in some fresh air to experience the quiet, see running water and just breathe. If you want to see more photos from the trip, check out the Mountain Time blogfrom earlier this week.

It is time to get on a “West Virginia Stairmaster.” Ready to join me?.