Dug up from 2002

Here's something I came upon that I wrote in 2002 --- just seems to fit as well today:

I was just listening to the radio - they were talking about a famous reporter that died yesterday. He died of Pneumonia and I thought about how it is that most people do - die that way. Our lungs are these all important pair of oxygen tanks that keep that blood able to feed the brain and all those body parts. These squishy organs even have their all powerful armor of ribs around them. And I think about breathing - pulling in air and releasing it - pulling in and releasing it. We do it all night long as we sleep, we do it when we wake in the morning and drink our coffee, we do it when we are grocery shopping. In-out, in out, in out. I started taking Yoga - Bikram's Yoga - (yoga in a really hot room) and the most difficult part for me is the breathing. I have forgotten what it is like to run as a two year old who has just learned to walk - this is that same process so it's familiar but also lost. Breathing with all my lungs seems like an impossible task. I try to suck all that air in through my windpipe so that my muscles get all that extra oxygen - but there are times where I wonder if this is what it is like to lay in a hospital bed at 82 trying to get some last bits of air before the flood of my lungs drown me. I really feel for all those folks out there that suffer from lung related diseases. Which always makes me wonder why anyone would want to suck on rolled up pieces of lighted tar and tobacco - which includes my parents? My mother (late who's in her late sixties) smoke for many years - started in the 1950's when everyone smoked. She quit when I was in college but by then her lungs were already damaged. My father too - smoked from his 20's until his 60's - a bit longer than my mother. I saw a young man who was maybe fourteen - smoking a cig - he thought he was the coolest thing - all I could think was - stop that! I need you to provide my social security dummy and I plan on living past a 100! Breath in - breath out. These days if you dumb enough to spend money on a known lung killer that does nothing more then send your nervous system into over drive - well what can I say - it's a free country, until my Medicare has to pay for your sorry ass and the oxygen tank your pulling behind you - loser. Oh but you look soooo cool (not!). Smokers stink... okay enough - uncle - breath in - breath out and don't smoke!