Death through sports

My wife told me that the husband of her sister's friend, Karen died when playing badminton and at the age of 56. Such news brings back many memories of friends that have gone this way at young age. I remembered I wrote an article about them.

BC, my college Junior was a state hockey player and he was the committee member at the PSC. He was busy with the club work and was captain of the club's veteran team. It is probably the stress and the strenuous practice sessions in the run up to the veteran game in Alor Star. He died while playing in the competitive veteran game. He was 49.

Leong, my tax consultant. He was an active badminton player and he was on his way for promotion to be a partner in his firm. He was either fat or over weight but again, perhaps to the hidden stress and his body condition on the fateful night.  He died after an active game while resting on the side line. He was 49,

Many such incidents including famous personalities who have died while sporting or after sporting. There was an article that too much sports is harmful to the body and as we age, we should show down. The belief that sports keep our body young is a myth and it is natural evolution that everybody must die.  Yes, we can slow it down but not keeping it forever young. There is a saying " the heart is welling but the body cannot fulfill" . It applies to a lot of activities including sex.  Too much of everything is bad for the body.

There is a choice for us, either to live an active life and run the risk or slow down and live a passive life to live longer. However, there is no guarantee that both choice could make you live longer. It is fate and the process of evolution.  The personal characters of the person plays a big part in the process of living and dying. I have learned that people with strong characters like Shih Huang Ti' character and  is tyrannic leader, such people will die young as they often see things in their perfect ways and never tolerate out of line followers. Such characters have to constantly remind themselves to slow down and accept dissent or look at obituaries everyday to remind them of the fragility of life.

Everything works in a balance. We have to balance our character and our activities just like what Buddha have taught us " the middle way" . Strike a balance in everything we do and we will enjoy a happier and longer life.

Namaste.