Tuesday, March 07, 2006

RIP Puck.

Kirby Puckett died yesterday.

I really liked him as a baseball ambassador considering I never even played/ watched/ liked baseball that much I was in awe of his Magic Johnson-esque personality even if I only watched for so long. In fact, his career mirrored Magic's in a few ways he helped re-establish a team (The Twins would probably have been gone without that championship) and his career was marred by a horrific biological circumstance that eventually ended his career.

On Saturday in a convo with my mom she got on my ass about eating better. I mean, I have been working out since Nov and my weight loss has been hindered by my eating habits. Still, my moms didn't have to call me out. But she's right... we do have diabetes in our family and even if we didn't.. we're black... and diabetes is in our culture as well.

But in Puckett I find myself finally getting it. Kirby was a good man who enjoyed life to the fullest. Even when glaucoma took him out the game he was never gone. He wasn't a sulker and wasn't lost without the influence of baseball. He had health issues.. heart, eyes, and more than anything his weight. Often times old teammates would see him and express their concern. His glowing personality would assure them that he was okay.

Kirby's weight killed him, just like Luther before him and many many of our loved relatives who cannot control their eating nor get in the exercise they need. Today I have decided to not let it kill me. I don't have the discipline I want yet but I'm getting there. Not that I'm fat or close to obese I just want to set the groundwork so that I can keep in shape into my 30s and beyond.

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