People that know me well, know that I truly enjoy chilling out, relaxing and taking it easy. And those who have been following this blog have probably understood by now that the Ugandan way of life suits this kind of lifestyle very well. The first months I thought this was just great, but after a while I have started realizing that it is actually really unhealthy to be so relaxed all the time.
During fall/winter I found it very amusing to listen to some of the norwegian girls living in Uganda, as they hysterically told me about how they weren't able to put on their jeans, who fitted so perfectly just two months ago. I think I especially enjoyed it because I had actually lost some weight in the same period of time.
I guess I thought that my body had found some miraculous way of staying in shape on it's own, and I had almost started hoping for a future where I could relax all the time, and still stay in tip-top shape. Later on I have realized that the reason why I was losing weight was that I was just losing my muscles, and the fat was also going with it. Now, it seems like all my muscles have disappeared, and now the belly is starting to reappear. I guess I now have to realize the facts that even in Uganda, the home of relaxation, you actually have to exercise to stay in shape. So from tomorrow I will be starting to go for bicycle rides. Well done, Eivind. Big step. Thank you.
But I don't think that it's only the physical part of you that struggles when you don't move much. I think it has a strong effect on your psyche as well. From creation, man was ment to work. And I think that if you go for a long time without doing anything, you hurt your soul. Personally, I think that I have many times been a big sinner in this area, especially on times when I have avoided doing work that has needed to be done. Often times, I think I have simply been pretty lazy. Proverbs 6 says a little something on lazyness:
6 Go to the ant, you sluggard; consider its ways and be wise! 7 It has no commander, no overseer or ruler, 8 yet it stores its provisions in summer and gathers its food at harvest. 9 How long will you lie there, you sluggard? When will you get up from your sleep? 10 A little sleep, a little slumber, a little folding of the hands to rest— 11 and poverty will come on you like a thief and scarcity like an armed man.
I can't avoid feeling struck by these words. I think it's time for me get up from my sleep, so that poverty won't come on me like a thief...
In the end I want to encourage all of you to really treasure hard work. If you are reading these words from the book of proverbs and you are thinking that "wow, this really applies to my life", then do something about it! Go for a bike ride! Take a jog! Go to a fitness center! Get a job! To all you people in Bergen that enjoy football, I strongly encourage you to join our Football-group on facebook, where my friends and I on times arrange gatherings for playing football on different locations in Bergen. I haven't asked the group's admin Håkon Brekke for permission to post this on my blog, but I assume it's alright. Everybody's welcome!
To conclude, here is another proverb from "the man of all men" Solomon:
Proverbs 12:27 The lazy do not roast any game, but the diligent feed on the riches of the hunt.
Hehe :) always interesting as ever. This is a lesson learn't the hard way...nice blog bro! :)
SvarSlett