"Aging can be fun if you lay back and enjoy it" (Clint Eastwood)

Recently one of the men that I associate with at church extended an invitation to participate in their weekly basketball workout in a neighboring community. I quickly assured him that while there was a day when I would have gladly joined them, it would not be happening any time from now until forever. Ah, to be young again.

When I was a young fellow I enjoyed extended physical activity. It was nothing for me to get on my bicycle mid-morning pedal to Big Salt Wash where my friends and I would pedal up and down the trails all morning long. We might ride home long enough to grab some lunch then ride over to the local pool for a few hours of swimming. And then home long enough to have a snack before heading over to the baseball diamond for a practice or evening game. Non-stop activity and seemingly never ending fun. Now as an older fellow I get tired just thinking about doing something like that.

Well into my twenties I remember being game for just about any physical activity - and having the strength and energy to participate fully. I could work hard on any day of the week and return home with enough left to play softball, basketball, ride a bike or strap on the roller blades and go for an energetic workout. Sometime in my middle thirties I realized that it had been a few years since I had participated in those kinds of physical activities and decided that I needed to make the time to "get back in shape".

Basketball was always my game of choice when I desired a physical challenge, and our Church had a somewhat organized league that the younger (and even a few older) men participated in. They were always looking for recruits so I determined that I would join them. Usually they held a practice on Wednesday evening at 9:00 pm with games each Saturday morning. The week I decided to give it a whirl I was unable to attended the weeknight practice, but decided that I would go play on Saturday anyway. I remember running down the court for the first time in several years. It felt good. I had forgotten how much fun it was to be part of an activity like this - part of a team. After we scored, the run back to the other end of the court was not as comfortable as the first time down the floor. After the other team scored I tossed the ball onto the playing surface and started to run back down the court, I looked down at my legs and saw that they were still there but they felt different. It seemed to me as if someone sneaked into the gymnasium and filled my legs with lead. It was all I could  do to slowly (and I mean slowly) lumber down the court to the other end.

As soon an there was a whistle stopping play I called for a substitute to relieve me for a few minutes. I sat on one of the metal chairs that served as our bench, turned to look at my wife for some sympathy, and saw her chuckling at what she saw. I said, "Its not funny, someone put concrete in my legs". She and her friends laughed all the harder - you see they remembered the much younger nearly invincible me from a few years earlier. I realized that those years of not participating because of work and other commitments had really taken a toll on me. As I watched my friends who had not stopped playing ball continue to run up and down the court I regretted the inactivity.

Oh, don't misunderstand me, it was still fun. The first time or two up and down the court each week were very enjoyable and the number of times that the court could be traveled without loss of feeling in my legs increased weekly. Just not a return to the youthful, strength-filled days. I just might have to give it a go again sometime in the future. I'm sure if I take the next few years to get myself in shape again I will be able to play with the young guys in Delta. Though I don't think I would bet on it.

Thanks for checking in. More to come soon. See you then.