Ever since I can remember, my father has stressed to us kids how important exercise is.  He would quote statistics that showed how exercise lowers the chances of stroke and depression and how it improves overall health.  And he didn’t just say it, he lived it.

Both of my parents were always into sports, while I was growing up it was tennis.  Prior to getting married and having children though, they both played basketball in high school.  My father, Wendell Arnold, touches on this in his book, FROM THE COTTON PATCH TO Ph.D., GOD’S MANAGEMENT OF MAN THROUGH THE EYES OF A SCIENTIST, and their first picture together that I know of is from this time period on the basketball court.  From page 38 of Wendell Arnold’s autobiography:

By the end of the year basketball season got into full swing.  We were both very good basketball players.  Our school had girls and boys traveling on the same bus.  As we traveled to the game boys and girls had to sit on opposite sides of the bus, but on the way home we could sit together.  Everyone knew the back seat was ours on the trip home.  Everyone thought we were making out but really we were sleeping, as we were exhausted.  We continued dating the remainder of my senior year and then all through Carolyn’s senior year.

I had received a scholarship from Tishomingo College to play football but I thought it was too far away from Hastings.  I was also considering enrolling in at Oklahoma State University; however, I decided to go to Cameron College in Lawton because Carolyn thought it would be nice if I went to Cameron, as it was closer to home.  She was in her senior year and I could come down on weekends. We went out every weekend.  Life was good.  Carolyn’s dad became increasingly concerned that our relationship was growing much too serious and he monitored her curfew relentlessly.  Carolyn was at the top of her class academically and her parents weren’t about to let their daughter sacrifice her grades for a courtship.

If you haven’t already, please visit wendellarnold.com for more information about Wendell Arnold’s autobiography.  Already receiving rave reviews, you won’t want to miss this intriguing story!

In the meantime, exercise just a little each day to lower your chances of stroke, depression and improve your overall health, even if it’s just walking for 20 minutes.  And I’m not talking collectively, but all at once!