Common Talk Weeklyshuang yu zhou kan
issue date

Off the sofa and into life
November 12, 2003

The first letter in the English alphabet is A. “Active” describes the activity of something or somebody. Since we were born we are all active—some more than others. Being active keeps us fit and well and for older people, it keeps them young and healthy. Lazy people don’t like activity!

Recently I met an old lady in a small town in the Fujian Province. She told me she was 87 years old and she was still incredible fit. Nevertheless, her daughter looked out of shape. When asked how she kept fit, she said it was through being active but not through choice. Thirty years ago she carried heavy things for three hours a day when China was under a different system. The work left her very fit and thanks to good food and looking after her health she has maintained her fitness to this day.

These days technology is taking over many areas of our lives and people are becoming dependent. We take the bus or car rather than walking or riding a bicycle. The car has become a status symbol. Active exercise is being replaced by watching TV or playing computer games—physical energy is being used as mental energy! Children in the U.S. today who are exposed to eating “junk food”（垃圾食品） are suffering from obesity（肥胖） because they eat the wrong things and do not exercise.

If more people were active it would solve some of the world’s problems. Simply through using our two feet we could partially solve problems of pollution. Politicians in western countries always appear active—we see them on TV screens giving speeches, going to this meeting and that meeting, stepping off airplanes in countries around the world, and talking about their grueling（折磨人的） campaigns promoting their democratic principles. Where do they get all this energy to be active since most of them are middle aged?

Even though we should be more active, it has been shown that with modern technology today, people are living longer and are in better health and some take exercise even with the advent of machines. It should always be remembered that many disabled people do not have the luxury of joining those who are physically active. To be active is a luxury for some and a natural thing for others. Let us be grateful if we are active.

Nicco, an English artist and writer, was brought up in France and now is paying a short visit to Xiamen. He loves Xiamen very much.
Nicco，法国画家、自由撰稿人，现暂居厦门。