THE FOUNTAIN OF YOUTH
Right here in the downtown strip of homes between Highlands and Atlantic
Highlands lies the Fountain of Youth. Or so it was thought to be by Ponce de
Leon. I am so bad at history I am pulling this out of my memory a very old
one……….. memory that is.
On a street that slopes down to the bay is a wall out of which water has flowed
for hundreds of years. It was this that was thought to be the fountain of youth
when first discovered by Juan Ponce de Leon in the early 1500’s. As we all know
there is no fountain of youth that magically can turn back the clock. There is
however something that we can do.
I read years ago that the human body was designed to last 150 years. In certain
sections of Russia People lived to be 120 to 130 years of age. Altitude, diet
and lack of stress seemed to be the reason for these long lived lives. Anyone
dying at 90 was considered to have died young. In our world in the last 100
years or so people were in awe of anyone living to be 100. It is still
celebrated today as a major mile stone.
I remember walking down the beach when I was 14 years old and seeing 4 men
throwing a ball back and forth the each other. They were a ways down the beach
but somehow I knew they were using a medicine ball even though I had never seen
one. Curiosity got the best of me an I walked down the beach towards them. As I
got closer to these four lean muscular men their faces got older until I realize
they were all old. I don't mean old, like 70’s and 80’s. Their bodies were lean
and strong and all I could think of was my grandfather who could barley walk at
that age.
They were Russian and Polish and had stayed slim and exercised all their lives.
The oldest was 85 and could throw that damn ball twice as far as I could. It was
a great lesson. Years later at the age of 34 I saw body changing…kind of narrow
in the shoulders and wider at the hips with arms that looked a little thin.
Remembering those men on the beach I joined the Executive health spa at the Mini
mall in Red Bank. By today's standards it wasn't much of a gym but it was a
start.
I turned into a gym rat and have been pretty diligent at working out for the
past 26 years. It has paid off for even though something hurts somewhere in my
body everyday when I get up I feel in good shape and am able to work the stupid
hours my business demands without too much strain. Those men on the beach though
me that exercise can keep you young. It relieves stress which helps you live
longer and causes you to eat properly which also extends your life. I guess
there is a fountain of youth, it just takes on a different form then was first
thought.
