Walk

Sitting here, looking down at the Las Vegas Strip, I've noticed a curious thing.  The people who are walking - to the souvenir store, down the block to the next hotel, wherever - look happier.  Seriously, it's 105F outside, how are they so happy?

They're healthier, on the whole, than those who will take a cab to cross the street from Palazzo to The Mirage.  They're happier, thinner, and better off because of it (even those who are walking with a to-go beer and a cigar).  Why?  Because humans are animals and need to move in order to maintain their health.  Think about it this way:  when you overfeed your dog and walk him less than you used to, he gains weight, is sluggish, plays less.  When you limit his access to treats and walk or run him for 10 minutes longer every day, he looks healthy, has more energy, is more playful.  Yeah, humans are like that, too.

So why is it that we've become a society of sitters?  We sit all day at work, sit in traffic on our commute, sit on the couch watching TV once we're home for the day.  I'm not suggesting that we stand at our desks at work, or that we walk the 23 miles from home to office, or run in place while watching Top Chef.  But I am suggesting that we park a little further away from the mall entrance, that we carry our grocery bags instead of using a cart, that instead of driving three blocks for our morning coffee, we walk.

One might think, from my infrequent rampages on health and weight, that I'm some sort of freak about it.  I'm not.  But I've come to notice that the people in my life who are happier are those who take care of themselves in one way or another.  So this crusade, dear readers, isn't about being skinny like some celebutard or trying to live forever.  This is about preventing the diseases that could prematurely end your lives, and keep you from changing the world with us. 

We have important work to do:  stem the flow of human trafficking and forced prostitution, bring arts education to schools, provide clean water to third world countries, make domestic violence and child abuse relics of the past, help heal the planet and solve the global energy crisis. 

So stand up, y'all, and take a long walk.  It could be the first step to making the world a better place.