At my last appointment my physiotherapist, Noman, said to me, “Dean, I have to be honest with you. I don’t see too many sixty-year-old patients in as good as shape as you are. I can see that you are strong and fit and ready to handle the harder exercises. With my other sixty-year-old patients it’s baby steps first before I can give them advanced exercises.” That got me thinking about all the different physical activities I participate in as an adult, and I realized that my fitness is a result of enjoying physical activity. When I participate in any sport, I never think, “I should continue doing this because it will keep me in shape.” It was, “Wow! That was fun, I can’t wait to do it again.”
While growing up in Alix I played on a lot of competitive teams. I enjoyed the competition but I also had fun being on a team with friends. I was either playing baseball in the summer or hockey in the winter from the time I was in elementary school until my second year of university, and in high school, I played both badminton and volleyball. I liked all sports, but it was hockey that I enjoyed the most. Like most Canadian boys I dreamed of one day playing in the NHL.
I also liked to do a lot of outdoor recreational activities. I much preferred being active outside rather than staying inside and watching television, reading, or playing games. I was lucky that I had Alix Lake in my backyard as my playground. I could go swimming whenever I wanted, often diving off the pier and swimming to the other side and back. I especially enjoyed doing this in the evening when the lake was perfectly calm. I also liked exploring the shoreline in our small motorboat or getting up early in the morning on a weekend to go fishing. If there was no snow on the lake in the winter, I enjoyed skating around the whole lake, practicing my stickhandling. Once in a while, I borrowed the school’s cross country skis and would go skiing on the lake. Alix Lake was also where I learned to water ski and later when Dad bought a motorboat, I would invite my friends over to go water skiing.
The countryside surrounding Alix was also my playground. My parents allowed me to roam where ever I wanted and never worried about me as long as I was home in time for supper. Being allowed to ride my bike out of town and explore the nearby ponds and streams was like going on an adventure. A favorite location that I liked to explore was Parlby Creek, where I would scramble through the trees, cross beaver dams, observe the wildlife, and occasionally catch a garter snake. Another favorite place was Mehle’s Pond, where my friends and I liked to go swimming or fishing.
When I was older Mom and Dad permitted me to go camping with my cousin at The Narrows, a campsite close to Buffalo Lake. For the whole weekend, we would explore the woods and fish all along the shoreline. However, my favorite place to go camping was Kananaskis Park. When my family went there during the summer, I loved going on day hikes, exploring the lakes and forests.
Even though I found all these activities fun, spending time in the outdoors, was also my method of coping with the stress of my home life. When my parents were not getting along, I would escape to the outdoors and spend time in nature to get away from the tension between Mom and Dad. This method of coping with the stress has also been helpful as an adult, especially lately due to the stress of living during a pandemic and the political climate here in Alberta and the United States.
I still enjoy doing the same outdoor activities I did as a child, with a few changes. My shoes are now Sauconys and I run along the trails next to Mill Creek. Instead of swimming in Alix Lake, I enjoy snorkeling and scuba diving in the ocean. I now own two bikes: a mountain bike and a road bike, and I like to bike through the countryside east of Sherwood Park. I also have my very own cross-country skis to explore the trails at the Waskahegan Recreational Area. I have purchased snowshoes so that I can also go hiking in the winter. Instead of a motorboat, Michelle and I own a canoe, and together we explore the rivers and lakes in Alberta. When I spend time in the mountain parks, I now carry a backpack and hike for days, exploring the mountain meadows and glaciers.
Who knew having fun could keep you fit?
One Last Kick 