Excuse me, can you help?

audjrey
audjrey Posts: 360 Member
edited September 26 in Fitness and Exercise
WARNING: THIS POST CONTAINS PROFANITY. PLEASE READ AT YOUR OWN RISK.


So I'm out power walking tonight building up a sweat, arms pumping, legs jumping, heart racing, mind steady, when two young overweight girls jump off the sidewalk adjacent to me to ask me if I could help. Help with what, I wondered.

The older girl stood directly in my path like a boulder. My eyes widened. How could I possibly help two young girls who quite obviously did not appear to be distressed. My glance darted to the open road in front of me. I didn't want to stop and felt mildly irritated by having felt forced to.

The girl laughed at my wide eyed expression and spoke painfully slow, almost intentionally as if knowing that stopping was excruciating for me. "Would you like to help with the Heart & Stroke Foundation?"

I stared hard at the young girl. Irritation transformed to blazing anger.

"Are you ****ing kidding me?"

That's what I wanted to say, but didn't.

"Not right now," I said. "I'm walking."

With that I stepped around the young lady and ventured on.

I've heard it said in life that in order to help prevent poverty you simply don't become it. I've also heard it said an ounce of prevention is the cure to all disease. So when this overweight young lady dared to stop me in the middle of my workout to ask me if I wanted to help the Heart & Stroke Foundation, I wanted to grab her by the scruff of her collar and scream at her.

"I am helping the Heart & Stroke Foundation. I'm preventing a heart attack and stroke by exercising, eating healthy and managing my stress, unlike you who thinks the cure is to canvas and solicit money. Furthermore, if you took your own advice and truly wanted to help the Heart & Stroke Foundation you and your little friend here would put on a pair of walking shoes and get your body moving. Otherwise, it'll be you who has a heart attack or stroke before the age of 20 and it'll be me who has to pay to take care of you!"

Of course this is what I wanted to say, primarily out of anger, but I didn't.

Instead, I pounded the pavement lightly, arms pumping, heart racing, mind steady, counting a steady beat of military fours to keep pace. It was enough to know that while the two young ladies thought they were being helpful, and to those who have already suffered heart & stroke they are, I was living according to my authentic standards and beliefs.

No matter how much money you throw at a cause, it'll never be enough because an ounce of prevention is the only true cure.

Replies

  • bacanbit
    bacanbit Posts: 58 Member
    I agree 150%!!
  • aset132
    aset132 Posts: 91
    I agree 150%!!

    Me too!
  • sandyw127
    sandyw127 Posts: 131 Member
    i love these read at ur own risk.. i would have done the same thing however i would have said what i was thinking. lmao thats just me tho..
  • EDesq
    EDesq Posts: 1,527 Member
    OK...So What!? YOUNG GIRLS (people) can act Dumb. You strike Me as one of those "self righteous" people that would ...well you know. Do you have a "cheerleader mentality," you know the type in high school who dates the Capt. of the football team and hangs with the "popular girls." Give it a rest about somebody stoppin your walk...heck, the stop light do that all the time to runners and walkers. At least those "overweight girls" as you call them were trying to make a contribution. Maybe some kind- hearted ADULT will come along and explain to them the benefits of exercise and how it contributes to what they are DOING...telling them maybe they can collect more money for their cause maybe by collecting contributions for every mile they walk...

    And "WE" Adults wonder why so many kids are "mean" or Bullys>>>They SEE mean spirited, self absorbed adults.
  • kdouglas11
    kdouglas11 Posts: 185 Member
    lmao... i'd have said, sure, if you can keep up with me for the next few miles!
  • crystal_sapphire
    crystal_sapphire Posts: 1,205 Member

    "I am helping the Heart & Stroke Foundation. I'm preventing a heart attack and stroke by exercising, eating healthy and managing my stress, unlike you who thinks the cure is to canvas and solicit money. Furthermore, if you took your own advice and truly wanted to help the Heart & Stroke Foundation you and your little friend here would put on a pair of walking shoes and get your body moving. Otherwise, it'll be you who has a heart attack or stroke before the age of 20 and it'll be me who has to pay to take care of you!"

    wow. I can see a point under all that anger and hostility to two young girls, but organizations like this aren't pointless like you're making it out to be. So much goes towards furthering research to continue helping health care grow stronger each day.

    And if the two girls were asking you while you were walking, uh it sounds like they were walking too
  • King_Bee
    King_Bee Posts: 275 Member
    It seems a little presumptuous to assume that these girls aren't doing something about their own health. They were wrong in obstructing your path, but no one has the right to judge.
  • DJJW
    DJJW Posts: 519 Member
    lmao... i'd have said, sure, if you can keep up with me for the next few miles!

    me too.
  • crjugrl
    crjugrl Posts: 172
    It's great that you're living a healthy lifestyle, but active, non-smoking people get heart disease too, ya know.
  • WinKitty
    WinKitty Posts: 119
    It seems a little presumptuous to assume that these girls aren't doing something about their own health. They were wrong in obstructing your path, but no one has the right to judge.

    Presented without further comment.
  • happy_vegan
    happy_vegan Posts: 200 Member
    I get your point.

    But the part about you having to pay for them when they have a stroke, it's disgusting. Not everything is about MONEY.

    Simply being ticked off at them clearly isn't going to do anything and you're not actually promoting change by huffing around the neighborhood. They clearly don't GET IT. That's their problem. Help them GET IT, not go off on some rant where they're sure to never see. Sorry.
  • v1k1n95
    v1k1n95 Posts: 40
    There are two types of people in this world...

    Those who walk and those walk beside them asking for money.

    Haha, just kidding. I think you're absolutely right about how they should exercise in order to prevent a heart attack or stroke themselves, but people are raised differently. Trust me. I'm from one of the laziest and worst dietary families this planet has to offer and I can honestly say that it is hard to break the chains you are born into. So lighten up on the girls!
  • doutri2
    doutri2 Posts: 186 Member
    Did they even have a pledge sheet or a clipboard? Most people go door to door or ask their family/ friends.

    Sounded fishy to me.
  • iheartralphie
    iheartralphie Posts: 104 Member
    agree....
  • goohan
    goohan Posts: 155
    lol thats why I'm preventing diabeties
  • gailygail99
    gailygail99 Posts: 582 Member
    I agree 150%!!

    me too!
  • audjrey
    audjrey Posts: 360 Member
    thank you all for your colorful comments! I just love the fact that everyone is entitled to his and her own thoughts and that we live in a tolerant society where we can express ourselves freely.

    when I wrote this post I wasn't looking for validation or opposition. however, I'm wise enough to know that the moment you open your mouth and say something it's going to evoke just that. so be it.

    to the young lady who thought I was being self-righteous, judge me as you may - there is probably a kernel of truth to what you say, after all, we are all self-righteous and I am only human; imperfect. and yet I have no hesitation is admitting my weakness and shortcomings. that said, you might want to re-read your own post to see if you can say the same about yourself.

    to the young lady who asked if these two girls had pledge sheets - no they didn't. never thought about that until you wrote it in your response. perhaps a little fishy (?).

    to the rest of you and for the record - my grandmother died at the age of 26 (my mom was only 6 weeks old) of either a heart attack or stroke. back then they didn't know for certain. and, no, my grandmother was not overweight. I myself was born with a hole in my heart, which I healed through running; otherwise I too would have been a candidate for stroke - I've never been overweight. my brother-in-law has permanent brain damage as a result of being dead for 25 minutes due to a stroke. he was never overweight. my eldest sister and my sister-in-law have both suffered from heart attacks - neither one of them is overweight. and yet the common element that all of these people except myself had is that they all lived rather sedentary lives and allowed stress to dictate their sleep, eating habits and lifestyle choices (the point of which I believe I was trying to convey - sorry to those who didn't catch this point).

    that said, I recognize obesity is not the single or only cause of heart attacks and stroke; however, and I believe research will back me when I say this, it is a significant contributing factor in our society. ditto for other diseases like diabetes and high blood pressure.

    and not once did I say I didn't believe in the value of such organizations. I personally have donated money to such causes but not because I believe my money goes towards prevention. I've worked many years in the non-profit sector and know full well how donation money is allocated. very little of it goes towards prevention. most of it goes to research and development, then administration, then treatment, and finally, prevention. so be it. I'm not here to advocate change. nor am I ignorant to the realities either.

    well, it's been fun. glad to know so many people have differing thoughts, ideas and emotions about such matters. that's what makes this such a colorful world. have a fitful and healthy day all :smile:
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