More on the fascinating topic of decline

Note to readers: Oftentimes while writing something I will have a slip up, forcing me to publish prior to the article's being complete. In an attempt to write about what I would like without worrying about content, the humor comes through in first draft and is weeded out later. I apologize for bad writing in the meantime.

It was still dark when I woke up this morning. The sky grew bright and I realized this was no attack of insomnia, for the day was actualizing, and I rolled around in blankets trying to locate my phone somewhere. It was only 6 in the morning. Having an evening to look forward to, I finger counted the hours through bleary eyes. 

18 hours. I had 18 hours ahead of me. With work, my daughters work, interviews, and possibly a few errands elsewhere to fit into that timeframe, I was kind of peeved that I had to start so early.

There is an attack on modern society by the elite. I try not to over analyze the motives of those on top, but I have noticed that they have made strides in areas and set up new patterns where once the ideals were not so rigid. And while models look more like human women, expectations for productivity are for the Gods. 

If this isn't my own negative outlook, it is our collective outlook. I do see more folks finding time to take leisure walks and enjoy the outdoors, I also see more triathlon hopefuls. 

My instincts have always been toward trying to excel. Even when I am slouching, I do so with the greatest intent. I intend to go well below the bar. And while this is a sort of poke at myself, it bears truth and is symptomatic of my having the mark of one who tries to overachieve. Even when being bad I seek to be terrible, etc. etc.

Yesterday I wanted to be a doctor. A real doctor, not a PHD. A medically trained, body healing professional with all the knowledge to inquire after those things which cause decline, because in my opinion, decline is a major, major player in life.

When I was researching depression during a recent illness, I had what my father calls "the long Covid", I noticed something that caught my attention. It has been a sort of fallacy in modern times to believe that evolution aims at always creating a greater good, so that whatever comes along is built in to build up. It is especially true of our mortal bodies We mistakenly believe that what our bodies are built to do is always for survival. I do not believe this is always the case.

I believe that human beings are built to survive until it is no longer best for them to survive. I believe that decline is a natural process that is as important to not only the human race but to nature as a whole as any continuity (?), perhaps all that is is only decline? (prolly not)

In noting the ways in which our brains handle a varying array of stresses, and our bodies as well, I've come to believe that what we need for survival is not always about the individual, but for the whole race of people, and our bodies have a limit to what they can take before it is more important and kinder to not thrive and even to die. 

But I cannot verify this hypothesis. Because I am not a doctor. I only know that stress can cause some to go mad, to get diseases, like Cushing's, a disease which occurs after prolonged periods of stress due to a buildup of the stress hormone cortisol. Even too much exercise will produce stress hormones. It has a way of detailing your limits, this hormone.

I was looking at the spread of disease in the 14th century and thought about human beings and moral character, in regard to picking up cues from nature. If man sees nature behave cruelly, some men may believe that cruelty is natural. This occurred to me because of how the old world treated the new world. It is our common flaw to believe before patiently weighing all the possibilities. What makes this such a profound place of error is that men who are not experts at many things live as if things were so easy that we must necessarily know how to operate instinctively in most situations. Perhaps all things deserve reflection. 

Choices, we know, are the constant fabric of our individual daily lives. Habit, good habit, strong foundation, are of the utmost importance. But there are always ways that we may be lured away from our most enduring needs; moral, physical and recreational.