Fletcher Friday Five

Friday Five is a short weekly list of things I’ve been reading, thinking about, or enjoying.

Know the Difference: Memorial Day (this Monday) is the day we honor those who died in service to our nation. Veterans Day (in November) is the day we honor all who served. There is a difference, and for many veterans, it matters. My generation of Iraq and Afghanistan veterans will not only mourn the friends we lost in combat (about 7,000), but also the more than 30,000 Iraq and Afghanistan veterans we lost after returning home from war. Memorial Day has always been complicated, forcing me to reflect not only on grief for those gone, but also on questions of sacrifice, meaning, survivor’s guilt, and what it means to keep living a good life afterward. A few years ago, I wrote an essay about that internal struggle. It still holds true. But I know for certain that my friends who are no longer with us would want you to enjoy the day. So say a prayer for the families of those lost, and then spend time with people you love and make the best of the holiday!

Brick by Brick: I have found a surprising amount of peace in physical labor. Clearing land, running a chainsaw, brush hogging, driving t-posts. I recently came across the story of Winston Churchill fighting what he called his “Black Dog” depression by laying bricks at his home in Kent. Brick after brick, hour after hour. I spent one summer in Arkansas working as a mason’s assistant, hauling cinder blocks and laying brick in 100-degree heat. What it mostly cured was any thought I wanted to spend the rest of my life laying bricks. However, Churchill may have been onto something. There is something good for the mind about giving the hands something useful to do. Modern psychology calls part of this “behavioral activation,” the idea that action can interrupt the spiral of rumination and inertia. I do not think hard work magically cures all suffering. But I do think there is something deeply human about getting outside, sweating a little, building something real, and seeing progress one post, one gate, or even one brick at a time.

Respect: One of the things I admire most is people who refuse to believe life has an expiration date on growth. Billie Jean King interrupted her college education to win Wimbledon titles, changed women’s sports forever, and built one of the most accomplished careers imaginable. At 82 years old she went back and this week graduated with her degree. I love it. My mom did something similar. As a grandma, she went back to school, earned her bachelor’s degree, then her master’s degree to become a counselor. Then as a great grandma, she started her new career helping people. There is something deeply inspiring about people who keep becoming. No matter their age. No matter the chapter. No matter how many people think the story is already written.

Protein + Fiber: For years, I’ve tried to get close to one gram of protein for every pound of body weight. At 250 pounds, that is a lot of protein and pretty tough to pull off consistently. But it is getting much easier. I can’t walk into a gas station without a “plus 42 grams of protein” milk, bar, cookie or brownie. Coffee shops now add it, as do a lot of fast food. It is a good thing, especially as people age and muscle mass becomes more important for health and longevity. But the thing I rarely hear discussed is fiber. Most Americans get roughly half the recommended daily amount, even though fiber is strongly linked to blood sugar regulation, cholesterol, digestion, and long-term health. A lot of high-protein convenience foods are almost completely devoid of it. If you dramatically increase protein intake without also paying attention to fiber and overall diet quality, you may actually create new problems. The goal should not be “plus protein” but instead “protein plus fiber.” It is building a body that can carry you well for a long time. If you want to read more, here’s a good overview on why fiber matters and where to get it.

Laughter is the Best Medicine: Even the Mayo Clinic backs up the science behind the fact that laughter truly does reduce stress, improve your immune system, and relieve pain. Someone needs to tell that to Broadway. This Wall Street Journal article outlines a crisis in today’s theater–people are laughing too much. For them, it is no joking matter. One playwright re-wrote lines so laughter wouldn’t drown out the dialogue, an actor had a meltdown on social media and signs have actually been posted to discourage laughter. Alright. Well, this publication encourages you to laugh. For your health. And because it feels good. So here is a list of 19 YouTube videos that are certainly going to make you laugh. I watched all of them with the boys and we laughed really hard. Our top three (if you don’t want to watch all 19) are the Jon Cena prank phone call, the ice breaker and the Eagles fan outside the subway car. You are encouraged to laugh. Just don’t do it near a theater!

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Have a great weekend.

Nathan