Living is a Calculated Risk

So, everyday that I scroll through my Facebook page (which, lets face it, is several time every single day) I am flooded with news articles that have been shared by my friends. The ones that always pop out to me are the articles about a new certain type of miracle food that helps prevent cancer, or will make you live longer. Everyday sometime new is apparently "discovered" that is "proven" to keep you healthier. One day doctors (well, the doctors that are always quoted on these circulating articles) are telling us to get some sun because it contains vitamin D, which is good for your health, but wait, not too much, make sure you wear sunscreen, or wait, sunscreen is toxic, don't wear it, its evil, but don't get sunburned either, you could get melanoma, but wait still get sun on you or you will get a deficiency, and get sick....

It seems like now-a-days there is an article "proving" everything you wish to believe. I have seen article after article shared on Facebook about so many terrible things you can do from articles about how Ipad's can melt your childs brain to how no one should use shampoo because it gives you brain cancer, to how eating even one helping of french fries from Mcdonalds will make you die earlier....Now, the majority of these articles make some sense, and I know people share them because they generally are trying to help and raise awareness for things they believe can be prevented. But, so many people love to glorify their way of life and health, that I can't help but be reminded that we don't have any control over how or when we die.

Now, don't get me wrong, I am not saying to do whatever you want because in the end it doesn't matter, I am not endorsing un-healthy lifestyles, nor am I endorsing super healthy lifestyles. I think people should do whatever makes them happy and realize that everything we do in our lives is simply a calculated risk.
 In reality, if you wanted to live the longest and be the healthiest person, if that is your goal, you could work out all day, eat only home grown fruits and vegetables, raw milk and sleep exactly 8 hours every single night. Never sit around and watch TV, don't ever call anyone on the phone (cell phones can give you brain caner too, haven't you heard?), don't drive anywhere to meet anyone (car accidents are one of the most likely way people die) never take public transportation (OMG have you seen all those reports about how germ filled the subway is? you could get sick!) Maybe you could sit and learn things on your computer (Oh wait, no, that screen will make you go blind) Maybe you could read, an actual book that is, (is that still safe?).

Does anyone live like that? Maybe a select paranoid few, but really the majority of us take these risks everyday. Why? so we can live a full and  happy life. Everyone needs to do what they think is best for themselves and their own family or course, but I can't help but wonder about when everyone got so worked up about safety? Again, I am not saying safety is bad and we shouldn't do anything to protect ourselves from the dangers of this world, but lets face it, you can't protect yourself from everything if you want to actually live life.

I guess this topic has been in my mind since becoming a parent. Even before Max was born I did and looked up everything about how to keep my baby safe. Tiny things from like what type of non- toxic detergent to use on his clothes to plastic toys he shouldn't touch. I was determined to have a perfectly safe child. However, a year and half into this parenting thing, I have realized that I can't prevent everything, as scary as that sounds, its true. We can do our best to keep drawers locked, chocking hazards at unreachable levels, and to offer healthy foods. I could keep him locked inside and never let him ride a bike or eat ice cream or even watch kid movies, I could protect him from so many things that I think harmful, but should I? If I let him ride a bike, he will probably fall off at some point, scrape up his leg, maybe even break his arm....I could prevent him from having this pain by simply not letting him ride a bike....but is it worth taking away the pain and also taking away the joy that comes with bike riding? This topic, like so many deserves a healthy balance of acceptance that we can't control everything, with the fact that we can prevent only a little.

To reiterate for the third time, I think my friends that live super healthy and safe lives are great, and if that is what makes their lives full and happy, then good for them, but I personally have accepted that I don't really control my life. God does. I will do my best to raise my child up in a happy healthy environment, but I have also accepted that there are many things I can't control. Am I going to worry that my child will end up obese because we eat fast food once a week? No. Am I going to worry that my flight might crash when I fly home to visit my family? No. I have decided some risks are worth taking to live my life to the fullest, the way I think God intended all of us to do. I know that there is the chance that something bad could always happen, but if we focus on that all the time, then we have no time to focus on the good or happy parts of life. We all are going to die one day, no matter how green you eat, how many time a week you work out, or how much you protect yourself. So, might as well life you life to the fullest every day and not worry about the bad things that inevitably will happen at some point. We only have one life to live, make the most of it!

-Sorry, this blog is a bit unorganized, but it was just my thoughts for the day so take it or leave it:)

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