I passed out at the airport last Thursday. I'm still not 100% sure what happened. One minute I was talking to the gate agents and fellow passengers about the best options for getting to Vail as weather had caused our flight to be cancelled. And the next minute I had my head in someone's lap.
"Everything's okay," she said. "You're fine. Just relax." I still don't know who that incredibly sweet woman was. But thank you, if you somehow happen to be reading this.
They raced me to the ER where, after a barrage of tests, the doctor told me that I was tired, thirsty, hungry, stressed, and overworked. No kidding. But how does that happen?
I know better. I know I need to drink lots of water. I know I need to eat. Healthily. I know I need to rest and take time to relax and blah blah blah. So why don't I? I know when I feel my best. It's a simple formula: I eat lots of small meals throughout the day. I eat the things I like (sweets and snacks) as well as the things I don't but should (veggies and lean proteins). I sleep through the night. And I dance. A lot. When I do Nia, I am better at my life.
And yet, I don't. I even work for Nia these days doing their social media because they were so taken by my enthusiasm for the practice. I am in the fitness industry and I don't take care of myself. I don't get it.
What is it about human beings that makes us not behave in our own best interest? Smoking kills. People still smoke. Drugs kill. Still people do them. Alcohol abuse. Same thing.
And we know we need to maintain healthy weights and yet what percentage of the US population is obese? Shouldn't McDonald's be out of business? We are told that the "chicken nuggets" are made of pink slime. Slime. And, we continue to eat them.
And it gets bigger. We know hate leads to violence and love leads to peace and yet every day people fight to take away the rights of others. Even the most ignorant of us has to know, deep down, that gay marriage will not be our demise.
But homelessness and hunger and joblessness and addiction and disease -- they just might. But is that what people protest about and throw money at? Is that what the media gives attention to?
There's someone running for president who thinks that you should be able to open the windows on a plane. Let me say that again -- there's someone running for president who thinks that you should be able to open the windows on a plane. It's not subjective to say that Mitt Romney is ignorant. The proof is in the pudding. How much more do we require?
The man lacks any connection to or knowledge of reality, let alone any semblance of the intelligence required to lead our nation. This is no longer about politics. This is about common sense and I'm starting to worry that we simply don't have any. How could we if people are supporting a candidate who doesn't have any? I understand why people still line up to shake his hand. It's no fun admitting you're wrong and switching to the other side. But it's time.
I can only think of few things more embarrassing than when I had to tell the ER doc that I basically hadn't had anything to eat or drink, nor had I slept for the past 36p48 hours. I was wired on cold meds for the bronchitis I was trying to kick.
The only thing on my mind was to not fall behind because I was sick. Just keep working, my head kept saying. It doesn't make any sense. I worked myself into the ER. If I'm not careful, I'll work myself into the grave.
We have to start using our heads. And it wouldn't hurt if we starting calling in our hearts while we're at it. We know the right thing to do, for our bodies, for our families, for our country. It can't be about being right or getting ahead or being lazy or having what seems like a good time at the moment.
It has to be about doing what's right. And despite whatever party lines you imagine are drawn in the sand, there really isn't any question, what's right for us as a whole is what protects our rights as individuals.
Even though sometimes I make the wrong choices, I have to be allowed to make my own choices about my body. I have to be allowed to make my own choices about who I love. I have a right to earn a living. I have a right to be treated equally and fairly by the tax laws regardless of how much money I make. I have a right to education. Good education. I have a right to health care. I have a right to food and shelter.
Things have gotten too far afield. Too out of whack. I passed out in the airport from not doing the few simple things I need to do to stay alive. I fear that we as a country are about to lose consciousness if we don't do the few simple things that we need to do to stay alive -- protect our rights; vote for someone who is familiar with the laws of physics and the reality of 100% of Americans, let alone 47%; and think with our heads instead of our egos.
It's not about being right any more. It's about doing the right thing.