Heroes Not Zombies

Oh when should we start?

Start living differently, if we reckon we’re not living the way we want to live? Eat differently, if we reckon we want to change our diet?

Start a project? Pursue a dream? Make a different choice?

I’m sure most advice is to start today. But then today passes and becomes yesterday and we haven’t started yet, so now what? The advice remains the same – start today.

I understand the wisdom of that advice…..I just have difficulties following it! If you do too, maybe this little excerpt will bring a smile to your face, the way it did to mine yesterday –

…Luigi Cornaro (1467-1566), a Venetian nobleman, published four editions of a work on “The Temperate Life.” He had been subject to digestive disturbances and gout for fifteen years, when at forty he took to dieting and hygienic living. Until within a few years of his death at ninety-eight he was able to write for seven or eight hours a day, conversed with his friends, attended concerts, etc. His first book was written when he was eighty-three, the others when he was eighty-six, ninety-one and ninety-five. The later ones contain apologies for the juvenile crudities of the earlier compositions!

A couple of interesting things about that story, huh? He had his illnesses for 15 years before he decided to live a healthier life. Having decided, aged 40, he went on to live another 58 years. We aren’t told whether or not his diseases went away, but we are told that for most of that time he was able to be creative, to be socially active and to enjoy music and attend events. That’s the important part isn’t it? What kind of life did he live? A fully engaged, creative life.

He published four books between the ages of 83 and 99, and his FIRST book was when he was 83, but how long had he been writing for 7 or 8 hours a day? Since he was 40?

Finally, don’t you love the humility of this man, and his understanding of the developmental nature of knowledge? In his final books, he apologies for the “juvenile crudities” of his earlier writing (the book he wrote when he was a mere 83!)

I guess one of the main lessons I take from this is that there is no “right time” to start, but the important thing is to start!