The Greeks got it right...

If you know me you know that gratitude is incredibly important in my life. There are a handful of podcasts and books that have framed my perspective on this, but the two ideas that stick out most are from the greeks: Carpe Deim (seize the day) and Memento Mori (remember death). These are two sides of the same coin; one day this crazy ride we call life will come to an end and there’s no telling when that day might be so make the most out of each of the days in between.   My hope for you is that you don’t need a huge wake up call for this to hit home, however most of us don’t think about death until we’re forced to. It is not exactly pleasant, but it is a powerful way to live. 

If you’ve listened to my most recent podcast, you might know where this is headed. Sometimes life likes to test you even if you already feel like you know the answers. My dad has always been a source of inspiration for me. He’s one of the few people that truly do what they want to do, almost frustratingly so. He loves to be comfortable…to the point where you’d never suspect based on his choice of clothing that he built a successful investment company. He also loves to do what he wants and encourages others to do the same. For instance, his passion is basketball and he has coached several high school teams in the Orlando area and most recently has started coaching within the Special Olympics organization. I could go on and on but the point I’m trying to make is that he’s someone who lives the Carpe Diem lifestyle. As they say, God gives his toughest battles to the ones who can handle it.

On October 16th, 2019, the trajectory of his life changed. At only 54 years old, he was diagnosed with Mild Cognitive Impairment consistent with Alzheimer’s disease likely to become Dementia. Truthfully, when I heard the term Mild Cognitive Impairment I didn’t think it was that bad. However, when your doctor tells you to start doing the things on your bucket list, you know the odds are against you. In fact, once diagnosed your life expectancy is between 3 and 20 years with an average of 8 and no way of telling how many of those will be good ones. 

While I don’t know why God has chosen to test him in this way, I do know he will continue to make the most out of every day. In October of 2020 he’ll be competing at the Ironman World Championships in Kona, Hawaii through the help of the Ironman Foundation (and potentially you). Kona is a bucket list item that he was planning on qualifying for when he turned 75 and was the only competitor in his age group. However, just because the path changes doesn’t mean the goals have to and I’ll be extremely proud to stand by that finish when he crosses the line. Actually, I’ll be proud every step along the journey because that’s what it’s all about. Training might feel like a means to an end, but it’s way more important than that. It’s the thing you decide to spend your time and energy on and there’s nothing more valuable than that. Make the most out of your training, not only by training smart, but by enjoying the process. To add to Steve Jobs quote, remembering death adds clarity to the small decisions we make every hour and every day as well as the big decisions.  

If you want to read my Dad's story here is the link on the Ironman Foundation site: LINK
I hope you consider donating. More importantly, I hope you make the most out of today and the rest of your days.

Happy training,

Griffin Jaworski