In reading Gandhi's autobiography, he has written several times of his habit of taking walks. He wrote once of a conversation he had with a friend and mentor named Gokhale, who was extremely busy with public service. The conversation follows.
" 'But you do not even go out for walks,' said I. 'Is it surprising that you should be always ailing? Should public work leave no time for physical exercise?'
" 'When do you ever find me free to go out for a walk?' he replied.
"I had such a great regard for Gokhale that I never strove with him. Though this reply was far from satisfying me, I remained silent. I believed then and I believe even now, that, no matter what amount of work one has, one should always find some time for exercise, just as one does for one's meals. It is my humble opinion that, far from taking away from one's capacity for work, it adds to it."
When I was in school, working full-time to support my family, attempting to engage in other activities in my Church and community, and trying to be a decent husband and father, I felt like I didn't have time for exercise. After finishing school some months ago, I began to work out two or three times a week. I started swimming mostly and I LOVED the feeling of getting in shape again.
Recently, I've been so busy with work that I've neglected to exercise again. When I neglect it, I find my body and mind become stagnant. It's harder for me to focus and get work done. Everything starts to suffer when one part of my life gets out of whack. Physical exercise is so much more important than I've often imagined. I love the feeling of energy and vitality that flows through my body when I've had a good workout. I need to be more faithful in doing it.
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