"This physical nuisance should be viewed in a positive way, as a blessing." - Haruki Murakami
The photograph above was taken on my 1st birthday. My cousin encountered some difficulties in hoisting my chubby self up to cut the cake. If you notice carefully enough, the front of my tee-shirt was stained with saliva. I must be drooling profusely at the sight of so much delicacies displayed in front of me. I love food.
Correction: I have a love-hate relationship with food. While I love to travel all over Singapore to taste good food, food proves to be my eternal nemesis too, taking revenge on me as if it has a life of its own. The reason being, I suffer from this condition known as LMR (Low Metabolism Rate).
Yes, I get fat easily and it can get so vexing to have to watch my food intake constantly. I am equally envious of my brother who on a regular basis, can chomp down two packets of noodles, chicken wings, luncheon meat, fried eggs without any significant trace of getting plump. Life can be so unfair at times, when all it takes is a few weeks of inactivity and a few occassions of ill discipline in food consumption and I will be hit with unsightly 'spare tires' around my waist. Fortunately, my job requires me to be pretty much on the move and moving equals to burning fuel. If not, I will be as fat as you-know-who (Who?).
Well, it is not such a bad thing afterall. At least I found a great liking for running in the process. It was not my love for running which propelled me to run in the first place. It was a prompt rejection from my favourite girl of 3 years during my secondary school days which started a bout of vengeful and angry running. She commented I was fat when my friend asked if I stood a chance to be that someone special in her life. How silly.
Wise men often point out that having a purpose in life sustains life itself. A purpose in running sustains running too. After slimming down successfully, I still did not stand a better chance: the girl opted for another boy in the end. The end of my pursue also brought a closure to my initial purpose in running. I realised then that I had gotten better due to running. I felt stronger and more confident, scored a lot more goals in football, was able to concentrate better in my studies and became more determined in finishing my tasks. A better self must be my new purpose in running. Not forgetting the joy of casting all worries aside while running and the after effect of running, I only have two Es to describe it: Pure ecstasy and enjoyment!
Hence, being a runner who gets fat easily is not such a bad thing afterall. If I had the body mechanism of my brother, I would never have bothered to start exercising. As Mr. Murakami puts it aptly, "There can't be many of them who would go out of their way to take these troublesome measures when they don't need to."
This entry just about touches on the truest philosophy in life also: "Life is like a coin; learn to see the positive side of life!"
