The LuLac Edition #2678, June 18th, 2014

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WRITE ON WEDNESDAY

Life Is Finite

This has been sitting in the LuLac "inbox" for a while. With the serious situation reigniting in Iraq as well as the recent posts regarding service to country by generations of soldiers, plus my admission that I'm not looking forward to dying, I thought this might an appropriate submission for our weekly "Write On Wednesday" feature.
I have never forgotten the day I learned the lesson that mortality is very real. As a 21 year old stationed in Hawaii, I was next to be assigned for an upcoming TAD ship posting. That ship was the USS Stark or another traveling with the battle group. I don't recall why, but the personnel ended up coming from another duty station. However, I do recall the day we learned the ship was struck by a missile.
The year was 1987, and we were at peace. Although previously assigned to ships that were in a couple of potential hot spots, nothing had ever occurred --- on that day, not only were fellow sailors attacked and killed, all of us severing in the Navy felt we were attacked.
Walking out of my barracks room, I ran into one of my best friends, Robin Warren. We were both shocked. Robin said, "Buddy, I'm glad you didn't get sent to sea." It was at that moment reality struck; my parents could have received notice of their son’s death. While always aware that dying in service to our country was a possibility --- that day it became reality.
Life can be over without notice, without expectation and without explanation. It was the slap in the face of mortality that made me realize that we must embrace the reality of death, to genuinely enjoy life.
As my age approaches fifty, barring any accident or illness, the bulk of life is in the rear-view mirror. I accept the certainty of death. While in no hurry, if it comes, I am ready --- there is no option.
However, I have lived life and have done it, for the most part, on my terms. There have been so many tradegities in the news over the years. And while all of them are upsetting, for some reason, I think because of my love of fitness, The Boston Marathon bombing continues to rattle me at my core. What still saddens, sickens and angers me most about the tragedy in Boston was the death of the innocent, the death of an eight year old child.
An eight year old boy --- waiting for his dad to cross the finish line.
An eight year old boy --- who must have been so proud of his dad completing one of the great marathons in the world.
An eight year old boy --- who had nothing but the future ahead of him.
As the children of Sandy Hook Elementary, his life is prematurely over --- there will be no carefree summers, no proms, no graduations --- his, and the lives of so many others, were stolen by an inexplicable evil; an evil driven to harm rather than help, an evil intent to destroy rather than create. An evil, that for the most part, those of sound mind will never fully understand.
My experiences have taught me one important lesson, there is no promise of tomorrow --- so live for today. I close with the same words used to close a column I wrote for the Pittston Dispatch a few years back.
Take every day with those you love and never forget to:
Kiss them. Tell them you love them. Most importantly, hug them.
Hold them close.
Hold them tight.
When you feel you have held them long enough — hang on one moment more.
Dr. Joe Leonardi, D.C. is the president and CEO of Leonardi Chiropractic Wellness Office, PC and BetterLife Seminars by Fat Then Fit Now, INC. He is the author of the life-changing book "Obesity Undone, Fat Then Fit Now 2nd edition" and "Sometimes The Bastard Returns; A True Life Account of Obesity Relapse." He has a B.S. from University of the State of New York and his Doctor of Chiropractic from New York Chiropractic College.
He is an adjunct faculty at Luzerne County Community College teaching Anatomy and Physiology. He has acted as the team chiropractor for the Arena Football League 2’s Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Pioneers, the semi-professional football teams the Scranton Eagles and the NEPA Miners, the women’s roller derby Coal City Rollers and has provided chiropractic care at powerlifting and strong man events.
He has made numerous television, radio and internet appearances to discuss the topics of fitness, wellness, obesity, childhood obesity and how childhood obesity relates to bullying.