My Addiction Confession
By Chris Hughes
BRADENTON, FL – An article in my local paper (which is getting conspicuously thinner btw), has compelled me to make a public confession. The local section cover story described how a recent tobacco-free policy at area hospitals was forcing workers and patients to go off campus for their fix. One woman, who two days earlier delivered a son via C-section, would trek across the street to a line of trees along the Manatee River for a smoke. She took the trip with 14 staples in her belly, and continues to make the walk daily as she visits her son in the neonatal intensive care unit.
As sad as this situation sounds, my situation may be worse. I hope you’ll display some compassion and empathy as I describe my condition.
If you’ve been reading this blog for a while you probably already had your suspicions. In many of my posts, I’ve “beaten around the bush” but it’s been too difficult to admit. The only solace I have is that I know some of you have the same addiction. So, let me just say it: I’m an outdoor exercise junkie. Clinically speaking, I suffer from a condition called “Obsessive Outdoor Predisposition Syndrome” or OOPS for short. Thankfully big pharma is working on a treatment protocol (drugs) that I hope will alleviate my symptoms.
Can you imagine how freeing it was for me to discover my condition had a name?! Now I understand why gyms don’t excite me. My desire to disappear into the woods for a run or backpacking trip – it’s not my fault! My backyard hammock, the adirondack chairs, and my bar-b-que grill, all placed under the open sky, are just some of the outward displays of my disorder.
I’ve always wished I could get stoked about running in an air conditioned building on a device that to me resembles my childhood pet hampster’s running wheel. I see people lined up on these “flabitrails” and I utter to myself “why can’t I get excited about that?” They get to watch TV with earphones and avoid that pesky small talk behavior demonstrated by outcasts like me who don’t have earphones.
The danger of OOPS reared its ugly head last Thursday, only two weeks since my bike accident. Despite a sore and stiff back, I was drawn to the open road like a crack addict to his fix. “Honey, are you sure you should be running again so soon?” the hot brunette asked. “I can handle it babe. I’m just gonna go for a short one” I assured her.
Short one my butt! Once I got out there, under the colorful morning sky, I couldn’t help but become overjoyed with the exhilaration of the outdoors. The fresh air, the calm, the quiet – I gotta have more! Not far from home, I passed a couple grazing horses. I was so excited I wanted to jump the fence and kiss them on their horse lips.
I continued my run to frolic in the majesty of the 487 acre Robinson Preserve.
In the park I cruised past the tower,
over the boardwalk,
past the river,
and along the mangrove trails.
I saw birds, and fish,
and crabs,
and more birds, and more fish.
When I got home, I paid the price. My aching back let me know it wasn’t ready for this amount of activity. But it was worth it – I got my fix!
Contributing author Chris Hughes is Chief Wellness Instigator for 1010:Wellness; “leading people into healthy lifestyles they can get excited about.” Chris has been involved with the “Y” and with Young Life for 20+ years. Visit Chris at 1010Wellness.com, and “The Word on Wellness with Chris Hughes” Podcast at Christ aCross America.
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