Column: Good health shouldn't be taken for granted

By Rachel Allred

Published Nov. 5, 2010

Young adults are notorious for acting recklessly and believing they're invincible. As zestful college students, it's easy for us to take for granted our ability to live energetic, healthy lives. Unfortunately, we aren't invincible and being young doesn't automatically ensure prime physical condition.

While I was sitting in the lobby of a building the other day, a man who was blind walked through the doors. He used a cane to guide his steps, and he walked slowly and cautiously. I watched as he felt the walls for door handles and Braille signs. He went down a hallway, then came back to where I was sitting, obviously still not sure where to go. I asked if I could help him find the room he was looking for. He turned my direction, gave me a smile and then told me he was trying to find the restroom. I led him to the men's room, which was only about 30 feet from where we were standing. I went back to the chair I had been sitting in and started to think.

If I need to go to the restroom, I can usually find it within five seconds of entering any given building. This man spent several minutes trying to find it. On top of that, he had to trust that I was indeed leading him to the men's restroom -- not the ladies' room or some obscure closet. The man's situation amazed and humbled me. I said a silent prayer of gratitude for my vision and physical abilities.

No one can go his or her whole life without ever having some sort of sickness or infection. We're human -- getting sick is going to happen. Some, however, seem to have a knack for staying healthy, and others seem to never stop being sick.

It's kind of like getting a car. If you're super-lucky, the car you get will be grand. Put gas in it, change the oil every few thousand miles, and it runs smoother than silk. You might have to deal with a couple flat tires, dents or burnt-out taillights, but those are pretty minor. On the other hand, you could get a real lemon of a car. No matter how hard you try to keep it running well, something's always wrong. First the battery goes, then the brakes stop working and the transmission blows.

Likewise, some people have great health. Sure, the flu bug comes around, they have a cold every now and then, they might have to undergo a surgery, but overall, their health is pretty prime. However, others have to fight a little harder. For some, superb health and physical condition only exists in their hopes and dreams. Granted, our bodies and health are far more valuable and advanced than cars will ever be, but the same idea applies.

Some health conditions are more obvious than others. It's pretty easy to tell if someone has vision, hearing, motor or other such problems. But many chronic illnesses or infections, such as Lyme disease or lupus, might not present themselves so obviously. These 'invisible' ailments, though hard or impossible to notice at first, still cause pain and often require lifestyle changes.

Strong, healthy bodies enable us to do far more than we often recognize, such as getting out of bed in the morning, singing a song, going out with friends and finding restrooms. While we're young adults, we should have fun, live it up and enjoy being young before old age weakens our bones and sucks out all our energy. While we're at it, we should do our best to take care of our well-oiled machine and every so often, think about the privilege and blessing good health is.