Past and present
Have you ever wondered how fit your ancestors were?
I live in a city now in a small apartment with two bedrooms and a living room. My balcony is a thin strip where walking is impossible. I am busy with my children and my writing. If I choose to do my exercises I spend an allotted time every other day and restrict myself to a small space in my bedroom. Today life is about conservation of space. There are limits everywhere. We go for walks only on weekends since the city is crowded. I crave for open spaces and fresh air.
When we go out, the city is abuzz with life. Everywhere the houses emit a warm soft glow of television sets that are the centerpiece of life nowadays. Physical exercise is now an enforced reality. You don’t need much of it to get around.
My ancestors lived in sprawling houses, didn’t have electricity and so didn’t depend on television for entertainment. Life was harder but longer. Agricultural activities took place before their eyes. They knew all about farming and the harvest, things I’ve read about in Tolstoy’s books. They played continuously when they were young. And as they grew older, they lived within their means and so ate sensibly and followed simple spartan routines that are beyond me today. They walked more than I do. They slept earlier, rose earlier and many of the grandmothers in my village still sprint around at ripe old ages
What triggered off this thought was a brilliant article called Fitness has fallen since the days of Ancient Greece.
I suppose it is only natural that we have turned into sedentary beings, considering how much has changed in the world of science. But our past was more about physical endurance and fitness.
Just a thought.
February 10th, 2007 at 4:15 am
[...] Boomer Chronicles February 10th, 2007 by NeelimaP The BloggingBoomers Carnival is now up at The Boomer Chronicles. Blogging Boomers is a weekly roundup of the top stories on the top blogs dedicated to baby boomerinterests and appears every week. There are some great stories here including my blog post entitled”Past and Present“.Check it out! [...]
March 30th, 2007 at 2:25 pm
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