Staff writer - Latoya Wakefield
I read in the Gleaner, a local Jamaican paper, once that many people spend their lives chasing money then use that same money to try to save their lives. At times, we’re so focused on getting the ‘paper’ that we take our health for granted. We push our bodies much more than it can take and just like an old car that can go no more, our bodies ‘pap dung’ and we don’t even realize it’s all our fault.
We spend so many hours doing overtime, multiple jobs, going the extra mile to get a promotion and we think our bodies can manage missing breakfast in the morning, eating at odd hours, standing on our legs for long periods and jumping straight into bed as you get home just to rise early in the morning and do the same routine all over again. How long do you think your body will submit to such ill treatment? There will be a time when it’ll rebel without your consent.
By any means necessary!!
A friend of mine was working three jobs. Yes, she had all the bills covered. Yes, she had money in the bank. Yes, she could afford a decent life. However, she became sick and had to use a large sum of money just to get better.
She threw in the towel on one of the jobs so that she could have some time to take care of herself and enjoy her hard earned dollars. Sometimes making the big ‘gs’ isn’t worth it. After all, we can’t bring money or any riches to the grave.
They say the poor will always remain poor and the richer will get richer. There are some situations where that’s best. Look at the so called ‘poor’ people, they might not have all that much money but they’re happy and know how to take care of themselves. What they lack in riches, they have gains that are sometimes even worthier than money. Look at some of the so called ‘rich’ people. They have it all, seen it all, done it all but yet they’re just not happy. Many of them turned to alternate means to find happiness or escape their sadness such as drugs.
I’m not saying you shouldn’t be ambitious, work for what you want, put in some extra hours, do what you have to do to become successful. All I’m saying is have a balance, balanced diet, some exercise and some me/family/loved ones time. There is a time for everything. Find and maintain that Balance.
Try to work smarter than to work harder. Be innovative in your ideas; find ideas that can help you make money without doing a 12 hour shift for minimal dollars an hour. And if you do such a job, make the effort to make sure your health is intact. My manager always tells me ‘No one is irreplaceable’ so if you’re not well, don’t you think that you’ll just be replaced? After all, no matter what happens, the show must go on and such is life. So take care of yourself and everything else will fall in place.
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