Jim Rayphand
I HAVE pulled some cockamamie schemes over the years trying to incent (or rather trick) myself into being a better version of who I am particularly as it relates to being a better ward of this now old body, mind and soul, but this year’s plan will take the cake. Actually, if all goes to plan there won’t be any cake involved. Perhaps my fellow empaths, debu-club members, gym-rats (of my former life) and, of course, prayer warriors might rally around this to guard against the vitriol or worse the internal demons that often thwart the best laid plans. Ultimately, this is just about an old man trying to become a better person and to give back in return.
Here it goes…nothing seems to motivate me enough to stop getting fatter each year. I can’t even remember how many biggest loser challenges or other weight loss bets I’ve lost over the years — money is obviously not a great motivator for me. So, this year’s carrot to lose weight and feel better will be a run for public office. That’s right. I intend to run for public office this coming election, BUT (and here is the cockamamie part) ONLY IF, by the deadline to register as a candidate (August 7, 2024, a little over two months from now), I lose at least 52 pounds of body weight (because I’m 52 years old, of course), log no less than 52 miles of walk/run times and get my fastest mile to under twelve minutes. I’m a far cry from any of that now — mind you I’m sitting around 300 pounds in body weight and can barely walk (due to foot and knee problems) at present. Thankfully the old ticker and other health indicators are still good — my doctor basically told me again that I am fat, but “surprisingly” healthy. Consequently though, debilitating physical ailments and pain can do a crazy number on a person’s psyche and general sense of self-worth — I am no exception — so there will be some mental health and other co-occurring disorders work to be done as well. It is an understatement to say that this would be a monumental feat for me both physically and mentally. Essentially, I need to be a better version of myself before I can feel worthy of representing others and I’d like to be someone of which my kids can be proud. On that note and speaking of monumental, I’m not talking about just any public office, but I’d run for the Office of the People of the Northern Mariana Islands to be CNMI’s next Delegate in U.S. Congress. Go big or go home.
Others can talk about running their respective campaigns, but I would literally be running for congress. Come what may.
Firstly, I’ll say that there are big shoes to fill in that seat and whoever gets to hold it next ought to be the best possible version of him or herself — in body, mind and soul. Equally, if not more importantly, that person needs to be someone who can see past him or herself and be a genuine representative and true reflection of the collective good in all of us including those with whom we disagree and/or dislike. It goes without saying too that our best candidate is someone who can articulate our collective message and build functional, if not genuine relationships in the halls of Congress. With due respect to my friend and outgoing Delegate, those shoes left to fill were not necessarily the biggest, best or brightest kicks in the land, but they were grounded in humility and a true sense of having walked in the shoes of others through good and bad times. The shoes of a statesman who was, “humble, but not timid; strong, but not rude; proud, but not arrogant; and kind, but not weak.” At my best, I can be all of those things — no doubt most of us can, if we get over our inherent, bloated sense of self-importance. “When science discovers the center of the universe, a lot of (us) will be disappointed to learn that (we) are not it” (B. Bailey).
I’ve been lamenting lately about not being able to run, literally. A combination of chronic obesity, age and now a condition called plantar fasciitis which, in addition to excruciating pain in my foot comes with related knee problems, has nearly grounded me in these past several months. It’s fair to say, I’ve become substantially limited in a major life activity — in this case walking and/or running. Coincidentally, the Americans with Disabilities Act defines a person with a disability as “a person who has a physical or mental impairment that substantially limits one or more major life activity.” While I’ve been advocating for the rights of people with disabilities for most of my life now, I have to admit that I’m paying a lot closer attention to things like accessible parking and ramps going in out of buildings these days including my own home which is not fully accessible although plans are brewing to build ramps.
“Challenges to a person’s health can happen to anyone, at any age and at any time as a result of any number of different causes. No one is immune from the potential onset of a disability: An infant can be born with profound deafness; a child can become paralyzed from a playground injury; a young adult can develop depression and drug abuse; a woman in her early 30s can be diagnosed with multiple sclerosis; a man in midlife can develop Type II diabetes; and an older adult can lose vision because of glaucoma” (https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK44671/). Disabilities are a natural part of the human experience. “An estimated 1.3 billion people — or 16% of the global population — experience a significant disability today. This number is growing because of an increase in noncommunicable diseases” due to heightened susceptibility to risk factors such as smoking, poor diet, alcohol consumption and lack of physical activity.
The hard truth is that some people, through no fault of their own, endure inequities and discrimination in our society due to their disabilities. The harder truth is that some of us acquire disabilities through nobody’s fault, but our own and it usually takes direct personal experiences for us to truly appreciate the need for legal protections and programs on behalf of people with disabilities.
I have learned to a certain degree to be mindful of the downsides to my actions and to let the upsides take care of themselves. So, what are the downsides here? Worst case scenario, I keep doing the same things over and over expecting a different result and slowly, but surely slink further and further into a half-ton life. Or let’s say I work my butt off for the next two months and miss my target weight and/or times? At least I worked hard — life is not supposed to be easy; in fact, “an easy life makes weak men.” Or maybe, I meet all my targets, get on the ballot for November and lose by massive margins proving how terribly unpopular I am? Well, I stopped worrying about being popular in middle school. No harm, no foul.
No doubt new lessons will be learned on this journey. Still, one of the greatest lessons I’ve come to understand from people in general, but certainly more from individuals with disabilities is that what often seems impossible can be possible given strong personal will and genuine support from people who love and care about you.
By the way, if none of this comes to pass then I will support and vote for… [to be continued].
For more on Office of Vocational Rehabilitation programs for individuals with disabilities, feel free to contact our office at (670) 322-6537/8 or online at www.ovrgov.net/.
