Aspirations for Health

It seems like ages ago, but I was the one who got my brother into a gym.  He could barely do one pull-up back then.  It was a struggle getting him to the gym, let alone getting him to finish a set.  I really pushed him back then, because he wanted to get the body, but didn’t want to do the work.  I thought I was doing the “big brother thing” by urging him on.

If you see my brother now, you’d see a fine physical specimen of man.

**

Earlier this month, I met Kei in Tokyo.  I haven’t seen him for 7 years, and when I saw him, he looked very fit.  He asked me: “Ghani, are you still practicing that Indonesian martial art, Silat?”

I laughed a bit, because it seems that part of my life seemed like ancient history.

“No,” I answered him.

I thought I saw a flash of disappointment in his eyes.

I later on found out that since we last met, Kei had taken up different kinds of martial arts and became an expert in them.

Somehow I felt that maybe seeing me practice my martial art back then had spurred him on to take on that challenge.

**

Looking at my brother and my friend, Kei, a part of me is a bit embarrassed.  I am currently overweight and far from fit.

I don’t know if I really did play a part in inspiring them to make positive changes in their lives.

What  I do know is now they’ve inspired me to live a healthier life.  They inspired me to again live up to my physical potentials.

To Ibnu and Kei, thank you for reminding me who I really am.