Today I went on a walk with my Future Self. Half way through the walk, Future Self began gasping in pain.

There should be more to that story but there isn’t. I get aches and pains such as knots in my shoulder or pinches in my hip under ordinary circumstances. I could carefully strenthen muscles and ligaments that hold my joints together, and this might help prevent these casual ailments. It might also help me avoid bigger problems. One time I woke up at night and didn’t think I could get myself to the bathroom. Something in my back was pinched up so bad that I could hardly move without feeling like I was tearing myself apart.

Instead of doing exercises I slump my shoulders and crane my neck and walk funny. Nothing is more important to a happy life than good health, but getting good health takes time away from other things that are less difficult and more pleasant to think on. After all, I can walk as long as I care to; what more do you need?

The mind has a multi-layered relationship with the body. If I could really believe that exercise would save me from future suffering I would do  more of it. Once I was up on a tower perhaps twenty or thirty feet in the air. I had a  sturdy harness and was clipped to a strong cable. It was very hard to step off the edge because I couldn’t believe I wouldn’t get hurt. But I convinced myself and stepped.