Don’t Play Superman
by Bill · Filed Under: Health and Wellness · Uncategorized
Oh why am I going to share this story? I usually try and stop my family from telling it when we’re among family reunions, but something in me today told me I needed to share it. So here it goes…
One early day when I was around seven years old I somehow gained access to an empty apartment above ours where we lived. My parents were at work and me and my brothers were at home alone doing the normal boy things…getting into trouble. But I was alone and I must have just finished watching a superman show. You know the one, the black and white series where Clark Kent worked at the Daily Planet and always rushed into a closet or empty office to do his quick change into his Superman outfit. (yes men, he wore an “outfit”) The next moment you saw him take a few running steps and out the window he went…Whoosshh!
Carrying my trusty towel and the largest safety pin I could find, I went upstairs and got into the empty apartment. I wrapped my cape around my neck, secured it with the pin and looked for my window. Seriously… I found a kitchen window, slid it open and looked out. I don’t even remember looking down, I just knew, “hey if Superman could do it, so could I” and out the window I went. You all know the end of this story. Once airborne my cape filled with air and I felt the rush of wind. But I wasn’t going horizontally to say the least. Downward I flew, or plunged, whichever words suit you better. I didn’t land like I had seen him on TV either, with the gentle two to three strides walking up to the villain. Nope, I smacked the ground with a hard landing. Luckily our hero only suffered a broken “widdle weg” as my mother likes to say.
But you know what, I can at least say I tried. Have you? But NO, that’s not my admonition to you. Not at all. learn from my experience and Don’t try it,…sheessh I feel like I have to have a disclaimer here. But we do tend to do that in life sometimes. We act without thinking. We jump in front of an object trying to stop it when it weighs two tons. What are we thinking. We forget that our bodies have limitations. And the older we get, the slower we get and the weaker.
So the morale of the story is, know your limitations. Plan carefully, act wisely and move through life in a safe way. Since my Blog here is about health, wellness and nutrition, I’ll encourage you to get into shape, eat right, exercise and put your body in the best shape it can be. We want to enjoy life, yet we neglect the most important thing we own. Our bodies. So if we are in good shape, we can walk through the day better prepared to handle the bumps that come along. I hope you enjoyed my story, which was true and I still have my widdle crutch to prove it!
Hi Bill,
I did enjoy the story. Ouch!
Along with knowing our limitations, we should also not be too stubborn to ask for help when we need it. That’s me! I hate asking for help, because I like to think I have no limitations.
Thanks for reminding me that I’m not superman (woman) and that asking for help isn’t a weakness, it’s part of not being superman.
Have a great day!
Ahhhhh! Bill! You never told me that story before! You’re very brave (like superman)to share it! I had a lesson in limitations last night at my Zumba class. There were two instructors…one low impact and one high impact. I’ll give you one guess which one I chose! Yep! I felt like jumping! But now today I am dragging. I think I’ll follow the low impact instructor next time…at least until I get used to the workout! Superwoman!
Hey Bill,
Thanks so much for sharing this story with us all.
We all want to push the limits in our lives. It is just part of who we are deep inside. When we “grow up” and become adults it seems like we do not even want to make the slightest move towards our limits and these limits are so small but yet seem so big. I guess what I am trying to say is that we need to take each situation that we are faced with and opportunity for what it is and move through it with a focused plan and purpose.
Thanks again bill for sharing this with us.
Make it a great day!
God Bless,
-ed
Bill,
Great story! Great morale! Thank you for sharing!!
Eddie
I struggle withy this one- Knowing your limits! I am always pushing it- and sometimes pay for it. I am learning not to be super woman and to achieve real balance in my life!
Bill,
However, sometimes, we need to step back, lay the cape down and be a hero for ourselves.
Right on. I wear capes often, figuratively speaking of course. Often we try and be “heros” in life for everyone around us…I call it passion.
Thanks for sharing,
Krista
Bill, As you began to remind us to play it safe, I immediately thought in terms of eating in a way that is both healthy and nourishing and at the same time helps me to lose those extra unwanted pounds. In this case, playing it safe would be to avoid certain aisles in the supermarket, to stop buying those outrageoudsly delicious nuts (my favorites being macadamia), to avoid eating at a restaurant that tempts me to get one of those designer martinis (filled with sugar and calories). Playing it safe is also not bringing home any food that does not support my goal. Of course, when I happen to be out a restaurant where there is some delicious temptation, I might just jump out the window. But at least I can be safe in my own home.
You are so right. Thanks for adding to this and next time when I’m wondering about where to eat, I’ll pick the healthy choice!
Bill I was holding my breath as I read this and thankfully it is a story that you can learn from and laugh a little. My 17 yr. old son son just had a incident that got him pretty sick and he learned a lesson the hard way. I may post this and use your story as an intro.Since you were somewhat reluctant to share this let me know if it is OK to share your story and name on my blog.
You can share it as you like. And thanks for stopping by. My family has the most fun over this story almost every time we get on discussing the past. I have a few more…but my face is still red from sharing this one. Have a SUPER (almost said man) day!