“Of physiology from top to toe I sing
not physiognomy alone nor brain alone is worthy for the Muse, I say the form
complete is worthier far.” ~ Walt Whitman
Fact: the body manages to prolong its life by replacing its entire cell stock every 8-10 years on average.
So the biological construct is replenished steadily. What remains fairly constant is the mind i.e. the aggregate of experience in a human being. Its various elements stay in place, defining a person’s existence.
A healthier and more lasting organism is one that accompanies its regular cellular reboot with a mental one
Why should the mind be so preserved? An organism would benefit enormously if it could shed its old self and emerge anew all around, in the same form, yet made up of fresh components, not just materially but also spiritually.
In other words, and in accordance with the body’s wisdom, it follows that a healthier and more lasting organism is one that accompanies its regular cellular reboot with a mental one.
Hence the need to never stay stuck in one mode of operations. Mutation is synonymous with adaptation, which is synonymous with survival. Change can be attained without compromising continuity, by rebooting one’s state of mind.
You may think it strange or gobbledygook, but we all do it. From the strangeness of infantileness and the magic of childhood we enter the fire of adolescence, then the rigors of young adulthood, and the maturity of marriage, or a serious job; then the wonder of having kids, or being free spirits; and the torture of our kids turning into adolescents; or the frustration of being unable to gather any moss as we roll down the hill; and the relaxation of our kids having grown up so that we may reclaim our lives and privacy, our bittersweetly relinquished independence, awaiting us at the beginning of our offspring’s departure. The wonder of devoting time to oneself, learning new things, and the zest of becoming a grandparent, the beauty of being able to retire with not a care in the world, all of it part of the process, our episodic journey through life.
All these stages in life help move individuals from one state of mind to another, keeping them fresh and excited about life, so that they may ably traverse the course of three generations, in cycles, before something inside us gives way.
The trick during these cycles of mental metamorphosis is to streamline the rebooting process among all those involved. Lack of harmony on that level may result in a lag, which results in wasted time, which results in stuck minds, which result in fatigue, which result in aging. Get it right, with the the right crowd around you, and you may be around for a long time, enjoying every minute of it. Get it wrong and you may be around for a shorter time that feels like an eternity, hating every second of it. Or you may be lucky enough to snuff it early and spare yourself the torment.
The more thorough the restructuring, the longer the run, and the greater the fun
The real trick, of course, is to decide how one reboots. With the help of others?
Or on one’s own?
Both approaches have merit, to each their own, yet both present difficulties and complications. It depends on the person. It depends on the circumstances.
One thing is for certain. Both approaches lead to the same outcome: a replenishment of the mind, so that it may sustain the body that sustains it in turn. The more thorough the restructuring, the longer the run, and the greater the fun. The secret to youth is a fresh mind – inside a refreshed body, of course – the interaction and restructuring of which, at steady intervals, leads to a fitter existence.
I think it’s time I start hitting the gym again. And a trip down a dark alleyway – why not? Whatever it takes to rattle my yawns and reboot my overall constitution.