Category Archives: Lifestyle (MC Archive)

Lifestyle-related columns that appeared on Jason Menard’s previous Web site, Menard Communications.

Chewing the Fat on our Kids’ Health

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By Jason Menard

Does it really come as any surprise that Canada received a D for its overall commitment to our children’s health, when our kids have us setting an example?

On Thursday, May 26, 2005, the Active Healthy Kids Canada Report Card on Physical Activity for Children and Youth was released to the public and the results certainly give us something to chew on – unfortunately, it appears that we’re chewing on fat.

Essentially the report states that Canada is failing its kids by not ensuring that they’re active enough each day to ensure optimal growth and development. The report continues by saying that “less than half our kids are expending the energy required to maintain a healthy weight, and to develop healthy hearts, lungs, muscles, and bones.

But should we really expect anything less? We’ve gone from a society that had to chase down our own food and kill it with our bare hands to survive to one where we can sit in our boxers at a computer screen, click a mouse, and have our groceries delivered to us.

And it’s a good thing that we only need one hand to use a mouse, because the other’s usually immersed in a bag of Doritos.

Physical activity, which was once a given component of daily life, is now nothing more than an afterthought for the majority of people. Instead of being an expected part of our day, exercise is treated as a luxury for which we don’t have enough time. Most of us – and speaking as a parent, I am more than guilty of this – find that by the time we’ve come home from work, prepared dinner, and done our evening chores, there’s precious little time to enjoy with the family. So because it’s difficult to shoehorn physical activity into our evenings, we make excuses to avoid it.

The end result is that, because of this, we have to shoehorn our own butts into our jeans. The long-term effects can be catastrophic, with poorer long-term health, increased diabetes, and a whole host of other health-related problems all of which can be attributed to our added girth. It’s a good thing

We’ve undervalued the importance of physical activity at school. We look down our noses at physical education classes – and really, is there any profession more maligned in our popular culture than the gym teacher? Instead of realizing the value of daily exercise, we look at gym class like a glorified recess. We talk about the three Rs and lament how our kids aren’t getting a solid foundation in the basics, but there seems to be no recognition that a fourth R should be added to the list – running!

However, the problem does not lie within the confines of our schools. It’s time we look squarely in the mirror for the real source of the problem – the parents. The Report Card gives parents a D for Family Physical Activity, professing that only 43% of parents are physically active with their kids. The saddest thing is that the number drops off as our kids get older: a reduction of 25% by the time our children turn five, and a further drop-off of 30% when they become teenagers. It appears that we, as parents, abdicate our responsibility believing that the school system will pick up the slack.

The end result of all of this? The prevalence of childhood obesity in our kids has jumped from 2% in 1981 to 10% in 2001 – and is there any reason to believe the trend hasn’t and won’t continue?

A 1998 Gallup Poll showed that 78% off Canadians were in favour of instituting 30 minutes of daily physical activity in schools, but that’s not enough. Our kids are not somebody else’s responsibility, but when it comes to ensuring the health of our children, a tragically large number of us take a hands-off approach to their physical development.

Unfortunately, the school system is going to have to be the one that picks up the ball we’ve dropped – after all, the exertion may be too much for us. Parents aren’t going to change their ways no matter how many publicity campaigns or surveys come out. It’s easy to sit here and say we should all spend a half-hour riding a bike, going for a walk, or tossing around the ol’ pigskin with our sons and daughters – but we have to deal with reality here.

This isn’t a matter of who should shoulder the responsibility – it’s about who will. Our school systems – both elementary and secondary – are in the best position to quickly and effectively institute mandatory physical education periods. Just a half hour a day will give our kids a good foundation. There’s really no reason why gym should be an elective course in high school – if we put a premium on developing the mind, we need to do the same for the body.

Looking long-term, by making exercise a regular part of our kids’ lives, they’ll be more likely to continue to make it a part of their everyday routine. Ideally, spending a half-hour or more working out, walking, or just being active won’t be an imposition but rather an afterthought in their lives.

And then maybe they can turn around and show us the right way of doing things. For the good of our health, our kids will have to be the ones teaching their parents – because we’ve shown that, when it comes to healthy living, we’re no role models.

2005 © Menard Communications – Jason Menard All Rights Reserved

Caught in the Headlights of Life

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By Jason Menard

Sometimes the roads less traveled get you where you didn’t even realize you wanted to go.

In taking a different route to the office today, I had the unique experience of driving along side one of nature’s creatures – an obviously lost and frightened deer running from a rural environment towards a residential subdivision.

I slowed down and paced the deer for two reasons. One was to ensure that the deer didn’t dash out into the street in front of me — as much as I love venison, I didn’t want to have to scrape Bambi out of my grill. But mostly I was entranced by this graceful animal bounding through the grassy ravine frantically searching for a way out.

Alas, the experience was all too short, as I lost the creature as it ran through a townhome complex. But in those few fleeting minutes I was struck with the revelation that, in reality, we’re no different than that scared deer bounding through life at breakneck speed, just trying to avoid getting hurt and not entirely sure of where we’re going. We live in fear of life – the uncertainty of tomorrow paralyzing our todays.

Just a couple of weeks ago, I received a call from an old friend and we got to discussing where life has taken us. We got to discussing his current job and he revealed that it wasn’t everything it was cracked up to be, and he wasn’t even sure if he wanted to stay in his chosen industry. After years of schooling and rounding the 30s, he now stood at a crossroads, looking back on how he got to where he was and wondering if he made the right turn. And we all come to a point in our lives where we do that.

If 20-year-old Jay would have predicted where he’d be almost 12 years into his future, I don’t think he’d predict a life in corporate communications or freelance column writing. However, it’s where I find myself and it’s where I currently find contentment. But those passionate dreams that we shared of falling in love your job and living the high life slowly subside to a realm of contentment and appreciating what gifts life has brought to us.

Originally I dreamed of working at a newspaper, reporting on the day’s news and shuttling from story to story. But as I aged and had a family, my priorities were not on the thrill of the chase but rather the desire to enjoy every moment I have with my family. I still have friends who work the graveyard shift at publications, or travel the world covering various events, but that’s not where I want to be. Watching my son and daughter grow is more fulfilling than any lead story I ever could write.

But there’s a danger to that as well. Where one person can find contentment in a career that they didn’t even realize existed, others get caught in jobs for the security of the paycheque. I wouldn’t be working where I am if I didn’t love the work that I do – however, I know a few people who, because of family obligations, find themselves in jobs that are not personally rewarding or fulfilling. So the questions becomes how do we chase our dreams, while respecting the needs of those around us?

As we grow up, the focus is always on personal gratification. We are prompted to chase our desires and find work that fulfills us – on an individual level. Growing up in the Reagan-influenced 80s, everything was about bigger, better, and more – more success, more money, and more power. Our measures of achievement moved in direct proportion to the bottom line.

What no one ever reminded us about was that animals travel in packs. If I may anthropomorphize a bit here, that deer seemed to be panicked and focused on getting back to familiar surroundings – despite not knowing how to get there. Its ultimate contentment would come from being with its own herd. Yet, the human animal is trained not to think in a pack mentality, but rather satisfy our individuality.

We have derogatory terms for people that choose to modify their dreams to meet their current reality – we say that they’ve sold out, are working for The Man, or shilling for the corporations. But maybe we need to put value on the contentment that comes from family. It is a lesson learned later in life that true happiness only comes from within – and now I know that I derive more satisfaction from my wife, kids, family, and friends than I ever could find at any job.

The key is to never stop dreaming. But just as we change and mature as we get older, so too should our dreams. The things I was certain of in my youth are now clouded by the filter of perspective, and the things that were out of my youthful field of vision are now crystal clear. So those selfish dreams of my youth just don’t seem so important now.

As we age, the pressures of life bear down on us like a truck barreling down the highway. But we need to choose whether we are entranced by the shiny headlights, or are we able to use our wisdom to find a new – and more fulfilling – path.

Looking back at my 20-year-old dreams, I can honestly say that I haven’t fulfilled each and every one of them – but I’m a better man for it.

2005 © Menard Communications – Jason Menard All Rights Reserved

Me, Mom, and Henry Morgentaler

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By Jason Menard

The old adage states that if you can’t stand the heat, then get out of the kitchen. Yet, now that the meal’s on the stove, the University of Western Ontario has decided to change the recipe, leaving many with the anticipation of a bitter aftertaste.

Western courted this drama by deciding to bestow upon Dr. Henry Morgentaler — a man who led the charge for legal abortions in this country, and the operator of six abortion clinics – an honourary degree at this year’s convocation ceremony. However, now that the moment of truth is almost upon us, Western’s decided to change the rules for the people that truly matter at this ceremony – the students and their families.

To accommodate an individual upon whom an honourary degree is being bestowed, we are inconveniencing a group of individuals who have legitimately earned their degrees from this institution. They have spent their years, attending classes, receiving good grades, and filling the university’s coffers with their tuition and ancillary fees. And now that it’s time to celebrate their achievement, to share with friends and family the fruits of their labours, the university is pulling the rug out from under them – for security reasons.

Convocation ceremonies are not about the glitz and glamour. Dr. Morgentaler, whether you agree with his stance or not, has made his mark in life. The students, upon whom this ceremony should focus, have yet to carve their place in the world.

In the past, students have been given two tickets, to whom they could distribute as they pleased. If they needed more, they were there for the asking. Now, the university has asked for those tickets back, planning to re-issue two new tickets that will be strictly controlled, requiring names of the intended recipients and photo ID verification upon arrival at the ceremonies.

In the grand scheme of things, this only affects 518 students. However, they are 518 students who should have the same rights as everyone else on campus. The other graduates aren’t subject to this type of restriction, so why inconvenience a certain group just because of an honourary degree recipient?

The convocation date is June 16 th. Does the university not think that people have already made travel plans? Booked hotels? Made whatever arrangement necessary to share in the student’s special day? Does offering a closed-circuit feed for the ceremony really count as an alternative?

Every experience at university is an opportunity for education. The university environment is one where open discussion, freedom of speech, and challenging convention should be the norm, not the exception. Making an exception for one ceremony based upon concerns about disruptions runs counter to everything higher education should be about.

If the intention of the honourary degree is to be provocative, then you have to accept what your provocation has wrought. You can’t walk on the knife’s edge and not think you might get cut along the way. As such, if the university has deemed it appropriate to give Dr. Morgentaler an honourary degree, then it should stand behind its decision and let the chips fall where they may. After all, university education is all about learning how to learn, and discovering how to stand behind your convictions.

These students have worked hard to develop their critical thinking, their ability to learn, and their ability to form their own opinions. And if a protester sneaks into the convocation ceremony who better to engage this person than a group of well-educated, independent thinkers? However, by restricting this particular ceremony, Western is shying away from the very controversy and discussion it invited by making such a bold decision in the first place.

Whether you believe Dr. Morgentaler’s honourary degree is a recognition of remarkable achievements in the promotion of women’s rights or an abominable affront to the concept of humanity, that’s totally up to your perspective. And our universities are there to ensure that whatever your opinion is, it is based upon fact, reflection, rational thought, and introspection. These are formed through an open expression of thoughts and ideals, not by sweeping controversy under the carpet.

So, if a degree is a recognition of achievement in higher learning, what kind of value does it have if Western doesn’t embrace higher learning’s very precepts?

2005 © Menard Communications – Jason Menard All Rights Reserved

Putting the Humane in Humanity

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By Jason Menard

Is the idea of being nice to each other out of date? Does the Golden Rule, which permeates any number of religions and societal structures, no longer apply to the modern world?

Kenneth Hemmerick, a Montreal-based, interdisciplinary fine artist has created an on-line course entitled, A Guide to Humane Awareness. It’s intended to be a tool to be used to reflect upon our own behaviour and attitudes, and to make us more aware of actively pursuing a humane way of living.

Yet, when I floated this concept around, reactions were decidedly mixed. While most thought it was a good concept, they felt that it wouldn’t resonate with the masses. There were a lot of “Yes, but…” and “Well, we know a lot of this, but on a day-to-day basis…” The most astute observation came from one person who said that those who are already good-natured and want to better themselves will be the ones who log on, but those who really need a course like this won’t look twice at it.

Essentially, what Mr. Hemmerick is trying to promote is a world where people consider the ramifications of their actions and the impact they may have on the world around them. But instead of lauding his efforts, many choose to look upon this innocent concept, shake our head sagely, and mutter something to the effect of, “but in the real world…”

But why does the real world have to be one where cynicism reigns supreme? Really, we all pay lip service to being nice to one another and making the world a better place, but when push comes to shove, we choose to isolate ourselves from the world around us and protect our own interests. We call it looking out for Number One, which is appropriate because we’ve elevated the satisfaction of our individuality over the needs of the community around us.

And I’m no different than many of you. I strain my life experience through a filter of cynicism, looking at the world through a jaundiced eye, preferring to find ulterior motives for random acts of kindness instead of appreciating them for what they are. How many of us, when hearing about someone making a large donation to charity think, “Oh, it’s just a PR stunt?” We attribute the motive behind displays of generosity to goodwill-generating, self-promotion in the hopes of receiving a return on that investment.

In fact, we’ve commercialized kindness to such an extent that we’ve created mantras promoting the concept. We’ve turned Karma into a commodity. It’s great to do a good deed as long it’s returned – with interest. The idea of doing a good deed just for the sake of itself is outdated.

So why has this happened? Is the pace of life increasing so quickly that we hold on for dear life to those things with which we’re comfortable, instead of just enjoying the ride and the experiences along the way? Do we, as a people, just not have the level of compassion required to make our “Do unto others…” Golden Rule Utopia a reality?

There’s something to be said for the fact that this world we live on is overwhelming. Technology has made the far reaches of the world closer than ever before. Our intellectual revolution has brought us instant access to the world around us. And with that comes a daily deluge of tragedy, loss, and sorrow. With every natural disaster, with every report from a war-torn country, with every plague, virus, or outbreak our reservoir of compassion is drained a little more, until finally we decide to turn off the spigot.

But when that compassion stops flowing, does our humanity dry up as well?

The idea of compassion seems so foreign to our dog-eat-dog, survival-of-the-fittest view of the world. Many would say that one can’t exist in the presence of the other. And, if that’s the case, then it becomes our choice as to what kind of world we want to live in – and what kind of world do we want to leave for our children?

I look on in wonderment at the innocence of my children. To them, the world is, inherently, a good place where people share, are nice to each other, and love one another – and this is because that’s all they’ve experienced. I smile looking at them, marvelling at their naiveté, and lamenting the fact that eventually they’ll have to see that the world is not all good.

But maybe we they don’t have to grow up knowing that. Maybe projects like Mr. Hemmerick’s can be a first step along the path to creating the world that we’ve always aspired to, but never attempted to realize.

It’s got to start somewhere. And perhaps the key to being a good human being is to start being a humane being.

2005 © Menard Communications – Jason Menard All Rights Reserved

On Life and Death

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By Jason Menard

It is somewhat vexing to me that my thoughts are tinged with the spectre of death. Hold off the calls to the suicide hotline – that’s not what I mean here. It’s just that with the recent prominent deaths of Pope John Paul II and Terri Schiavo, much of our day-to-day conversation has centred around the issue, and it does give one pause to consider one’s own mortality.

So, on this day as I ponder my place in the world, you will forgive me if I indulge in a little self-reflection. I have no interest in making this site a blog where I bore you with the details of my life, but today I’ve chosen to stray from that carefully held tenet and open the window to my soul just a crack.

In light of all these aforementioned events, I realized that I am afraid of death. The sense of loss, the sense of displacement overwhelms me. And, with a family of my own, the pervasive fear runs deep.

I realize how easy it is to just be paralyzed by fear to the point where you no longer live. It is possible to love so much that it becomes restrictive. As humans, balancing the physiological and emotional need to love with the instinct for self-preservation is a daunting task, but one that must be undertaken to ensure our happiness.

I consider myself a deep man, but I choose to keep that to myself. To the outside world, the façade I present is one of cool intelligence, liberally mixed with cynicism, biting humour, and stoicism – and a lot of that is actually me. Inside, however, there is more depth, more love, and more emotion than could be guessed by my supercilious exterior.

Most importantly I’ve experienced first-hand the joys and unprecedented heights that love can bring. My wife and kids have opened up a world of experiences and sensations that, in a more cynical youth, I never expected to exist. Their gift of unconditional love has enriched my life in ways beyond expectation, and has made me more aware of my feelings. Despite not saying it to them often, I am more aware of the importance and depth of love that I feel for my parents, family, and close friends.

I believe we all, in one way or another, mature and develop that understanding. But with that understanding comes an increased apprehension towards the concept of death. As I grow and appreciate those around me more, the thought that it can all be taken away in an instant threatens to impose its will on my emotional attachments.

So do we embrace death as a natural part of life, or do we fight it tooth and nail, kicking and screaming the whole way? Is it better to throw ourselves wholeheartedly into our lives, opening our hearts fully knowing that, eventually, we could experience hurt like we’ve never felt before? Or do we hold back, steel ourselves against the future by detaching ourselves from the present?

And that’s where the fear of death comes. It is not my own death that I fear, because I know that – in the end – my death would affect me the least. It is the death of those around me that I fear. Losing a parent, a spouse, or a child would be devastating, and the pain it would render would be incapacitating.

To resolve this conflict I’ve turned to my wife for inspiration. Her grandfather, an integral figure in her life, passed away back in November and his birthday passed recently. At the time of his passing and off and on since then, a word, and image, or a memory will bring on a fresh onslaught of tears. Is it worth the anguish, I thought, to care about someone that much? But, eventually, that pain will subside. Instead of lament, her reminisces will be coloured with good memories.

Instead of recoiling from emotion, I choose to embrace it. I choose to love my parents while they’re here, love my wife fully and more deeply than ever before, and love and enjoy my children as they grow into their own personalities.

In the end, I still fear death. But, should something happen, I know that the pain will eventually fade away and I’ll be a richer man for having the honour of sharing my life with these people.

2005 © Menard Communications – Jason Menard All Rights Reserved