My father, coming from suburbs in China , knows
physical labor from head to tail as he grew up in the rice fields itself. I,
however, significantly differ from him, and it is more than apparent from the
difference between us: he has a towering body physique and loves to exercise
outside, while I, as he describes, look like chopsticks.
Ever since I was small, my father wanted me to
develop a love for sports and a love for my own body, but I always felt going
outside as an obligation to follow his orders rather than my free will. This
became especially troubling for me when it rained, because he loved to go
outside in the rain, not under an umbrella, but to play badminton. And who else
would he take with him besides his loving son?
Sometimes, he’d even try to use logic with me to
try and get me to go outside, but everyone in my family knows no one can win a
debate with me. Once he said that if I exercise more, I will live longer, but I
told him : “Ya, but those extra years I lived probably is less then the years I
would have to spend in the gym.”
He loves the outside; he loves to embrace the
nature, and I guess for once, the cliché “like father like son” doesn’t apply
to me. Rather than toiling myself in the rain and mud, I find pleasure in
sitting in front of a computer, knowing all my homework is finished, and I can
relax in my comfy leather chair as I put up some soothing music in the
background. I don’t understand why my father would want to go outside so much when
we can immerse ourselves in technology, in the future, but maybe that goes both
ways.
In then end, I would stay inside and enjoy a
great book or surf the net then go outside any day.
I like your father's attitude! lol! I'd have you out there hiking those North Shore Mountains...and I agree with him that it is indeed for your health! Now, of course you can't change a person's predisposition. However, I am very tech savvy and would say you couldn't use tech as an excuse to NOT be physical. In fact, tech makes things easier so you can spend more time outside doing things you want to do or exercising!
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