Reading Joanna's post made me think of the people who inspire me to be fit and stay active all throughout my life. One such person is my dad's friend and our former neighbor, Joe. His birthday is the same as mine, and he just turned 67 this past year. I looked forward to getting "happy mutual birthday" cards from him when I was just 10 years old, and playing tennis with him from the time I first learned at age 14. He and my dad were my first opponents, and let me tell you, they taught me to be competitive and made me run more than anyone else ever has.
Now, I see him just a few times a year, but he always looks energetic and still talks of the long runs he takes on a regular basis. As a kid, rarely a day went by when I didn't see him jogging down the street, smiling and waving as he passed. Seeing someone so enthused and active makes me determined to be just as enthusiastically fit 40 years from now. I can hope as much as I want, but I know all the hope in the world won't strengthen my muscles. So on days when I would rather take a nap or do something non-active, I need to remember Joe and others like him and remind myself that the time I invest in fitness now will pay off when I need it most.
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