Use it or lose it?

I'm approaching the end of ski season.  Tomorrow will be my last day of the season for ski school.  The transition to golf season will begin soon. Still, I'll be riding my stationary bike less and less often as the weather improves and I can run in the roads after the days warms.   I'll be heading over to Sunday River with some family members for a few days of bump skiing to wrap up the season.  And, then it's over.

It was a terrific season.   We had many wonderful ski days and I had many more great student encounters for lessons and new friendships.  I created some memories that I'll cherish for many years.   Some of the best of those were some ski days with family.  This year was really good for that.  I skied with 2 of grandchildren, my wife, my brother, and my niece.  How cool is that?!  

I wonder if it's possible to fully appreciate how fantastic it is to be able to do something as wonderful as skiing with family (especially my grandkids) without actually experiencing it.  Skiing is a great sport because it is so healthy and you get to do with friends and family in the winter.  With so many kids glued to televisions, computers, and video games so much of the time any thing that gets them outdoors and having fun is really good for them.  Being able to share in the experience with them is absolutely priceless.

Which makes me wonder how so many people can pass up the opportunity.   I don't mean just skiing.  I'm sure there are other equally wonderful things that can be shared across multiple generations and that are really healthy activities.   I has one special requirement:   the elders must take care of themselves.    Today (and many other days) I shared the mountain with  ski instructors who are in their 70s.   They have stayed active and are still really excellent skiers who can ski any trail at the resort.  You can easily tell how much they still enjoy it.

Then, I come back to town and I see people as young as their 20s who, despite the fact that they have no other physical disabilities, are in such bad shape that probably could not learn to ski or do any other strenuous outdoor activity.   It seems to me that they are deliberately handicapping themselves and depriving themselves of real quality of life.   I understand that some people have issues about which they have no control.  I'm talking about people who are ignoring their physical well being by not doing some moderate exercise on a regular basis.

Considering the impact this is having on the country's physical and mental health, health care costs, and the burden on our health care system, I can't help but wonder why there is so little discussion in the public forum.  Could it be because such a large percentage of the population has such poor health habits?