I was at the grocery store today, completing my weekly challenge of finding healthy foods amid all the high fat, high sodium, high carb, low nutrition, and overly processed crap that fills most of the shelves. While wandering up one aisle and down the other, I noticed something.....there were a lot of people whizzing around in those little electric carts that stores provide for those folks who have difficulty walking.
The strange part though...the part that really made me go "huh?"...not one single person in the carts was old, feeble, paralyzed, or even looking as if they just felt a bit under the weather. They were mostly young. And by young, I mean 20 or 30 ish....maybe a couple of the advanced years of 40.
They were all, however, fat. Not chubby. Not overweight. Immense! (the above is stock footage, I wouldn't be mean enough to actually take a picture of these huge shoppers). It's really strange when you think of it. Morbidly obese people who are so out of shape that they cannot even walk to get the junk they eat to maintain their massive girth.
Now...don't get me wrong. I'm not condemning these people. I feel sorry for them. What a lousy way to live. How dreadful to have an existence dependent upon a machine to haul you around because you are unable to carry all the fat hanging on to your body.
But for the grace of God though....
I walk. I run. I bike. I even dance.
because I get to
2 comments:
Unless you know everyone's individual situation, you shouldn't judge or think you're better than them. Sure, there are people who take advantage of carts because they're lazy or whatever. But, we have to expect that manipulative behavior everywhere.
I say this, because that might be happening to you or I someday. Not obesity, but arthritis or who knows? Maybe you can fix my knees and I'll be able to dance with you? I come from a dancing background. :)
Something as complex as obesity shouldn't be oversimplified. I am 80 pounds overweight due to a glandular disease from a tumor on my pituitary gland. And I don't think anyone could have been more active than I was. I was living in Japan too eating lots of vegies and sushi!
For other people, eating is an addiction like alcoholism, drug usage, tobacco, promiscuity, and etc. This is the way some people numb their problems. And for them, it is better to be FAT than feel the way they do without twinkies. It's sad. But so are others with addictions. And none of these people are happy being fat. It's no fun. But even with that said, (I don't know about you), but many are jealous of the fat for some odd reason. And also, people see them as "weak" and therefore the perfect prey for those who need a scapegoat for their own problems.
Talking about the 21st century, you might want to also include Australia who is NOW the fattest nation on earth.
http://www.theage.com.au/national/nine-million-australians-are-a-ticking-fat-bomb-20080619-2tjv.html
Anyway, this phenomenon is happening all over the world. The source: In my opinion, it all starts in the home. If you look sexual abuse and violence in the home these days compared to the past, there is a correlation. At least that is the way it looks for me. Just my opinion.
You make some good points, virgomonkey...and I hope you don't think that I'm just condemning people because they are fat. It is a REAL disability that greatly impairs a person's quality of life. Nothing at all funny about that and my heart goes out to those who struggle with morbid obesity. Way too often such people are dismissed as lazy slobs who can't say no to any food under their nose. As you said....it's much more complex and it should never be forgotten that, like everybody, obese people have feelings.
Post a Comment