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There’s an email which is making the rounds—about a Wise Chinese Doctor. Reading his sage comments, I wish the email weren’t a gag.
Here’s a sample:
“Speeding up your heart (with exercise) will not make you live longer; that’s like saying you can extend the life of your car by driving it faster. Want to live longer? Take a nap.”
“Foods are fried these days in vegetable oil. In fact, they’re permeated in it. How could getting more vegetables be bad for you?”
“When you exercise a muscle, it gets bigger. You should only be doing sit-ups if you want a bigger stomach.”
This resonates with me because I reject the fantasy that anyone can lead a “balanced” life. This would mean that you can never go over the edge or off the deep end. And what fun is that?
I’m all about the good life, especially good skin. Healthy, radiant skin is like a protective force-field around you. You feel confident, people respond nicely to you. And making the commitment to healthy skin means that you have invested in the idea of a future—so it’s a form of optimism.
But once in a while, you may sleep in your makeup. Or lie on the beach without sunblock for eight hours. Maybe even get a tattoo (“Hal, I love you!”) that you’ll regret in the morning.
I say, go for it. There is magic on the edge. Sometimes, you even have to go over the edge. This makes life interesting. Just make sure that you come back.