This week, I gave myself a birthday present. I had my annual, physical checkup. Years ago, when I crossed the threshold of the Half-Century Club, my family physician recommended once-a-year visits to monitor my state of physical health. To keep me mindful, I book them around the time of my birthday.
My doctor ordered lab tests. I had them done and the results were sent to his office early enough that, if there had been any case for alarm, I should have heard before the appointment for the check up was made.
With each passing year, I appreciate good health as a blessing and feel thankful. Some parts are showing signs of wear and aging but, all-in-all, I feel good. Here’s where I can make a distinction between a wish and a hope. I could wish that I was 20-something again but I can’t hope for that. Hope is that nothing is seriously wrong. So far, my hopes have been realized in this respect.
There is another aspect of hope that is highlighted through this routine of the annual physical checkup. We know that some aspects of health are beyond our control. For example, one of the people in the waiting room had a nasty cough and I hope that I didn’t catch a “germ” and get what she has. Yet, there are certain protections that can modify what I hope for. As an example, if I’m not sensible about my diet, how can I hope to control things like weight and cholesterol levels?
There is one more thing. If the visit to the doctor’s office revealed that something was wrong-seriously wrong-what hope do I have in the days that follow? I’m OK in that regard and that is a topic for another day.
I hope you are well and wish the best for you!
