The call came out of nowhere. His wife, with a voice both calm and strained, informed me that this dude had undergone angioplasty overnight and was thankfully recovering well.
Visiting him brought a mix of emotions. I saw his smile and felt relieved. It was a sign that the worst had passed.
The incident was a stark wake-up call for all of us.
Why him, we wondered?
Could it be the relentless stress of his IT job? Or perhaps it was his erratic lifestyle, marked by irregular meals and a body clock disrupted by global conference calls?
Was it the lack of exercise, the smoking, the weekend binges, or his love for fast food?
Some say painkillers can cause heart attacks! Was it that he popped some pill several months back and he turned out to be the unfortunate exception?
It seemed like a puzzle with too many pieces, possibly a mix of these factors, or maybe just sheer bad luck.
‘Why him?’ I asked. ‘Could it also be me? I wondered.
Modern day luxury, often celebrates excess. Meals dripping with butter and cheese, seem the tastiest. Washing down food with with soda or alcohol has become a norm. Gym memberships become forgotten relics of New Year resolutions. Stress needs chai and smoke.
We separate work from life, and therefore seek to ‘balance’ a stressful week with weekend binge. Rather than taking feedback from the body, we subdue our symptoms by popping pills too quickly.
How can we consider a shift in narrative?
Boasting about the kilometres cycled over the weekend.
100 continuous days of Yoga practice.
Boasting about the new places you discover rather than new food joints.
Support friends striving to make positive lifestyle changes, instead of coaxing them.
It is time to redefine what we consider normal. By fostering a culture that celebrates these decisions, we can encourage and inspire each other towards a healthier, more vibrant life.
Perhaps, it could be me. But at least I would know, I did everything within my control and it was sheer bad luck.
That answer would bring me peace.
Let me know your thoughts.