D . I . COLUMNIST The Real Deal with Tommy D ' Aprile
How many of you like a good movie ? I am one for going to the movies here and there . I genuinely enjoy the getaway atmosphere to break the daily grind of reality . However , I have found that many movies may mislead you into believing something that isn ’ t true . Let me explain .
While watching one of the Jurassic Park movies , there was a scene where the main characters found an old Jeep left years earlier in the woods . The characters were frantic to get away from the dinosaur that was about to eat them , so they jumped in the Jeep , and after a few attempts , the Jeep fired up and drove away .
Really ? Being in the automotive business , I understand one thing here : you can ’ t leave a vehicle parked for more than a month without the battery going dead . So , after years of sitting in the woods , I dare say that a vehicle will need a lot more than just a few key turns to fire up .
What am I getting at , you might ask ? It ’ s the same for us . I meet so many people who , for years , have neglected themselves and expect that with one trip to the gym or one good meal , they will be back in shape . This is not Hollywood ; it ’ s reality . That Jeep would have needed a lot of attention and repair to get running again . There was no quick fix , and the same is true for us . We cannot expect years of neglect to be turned around instantly , but here is the good news . It can be with time and effort .
At our shop , we repair and rebuild vehicles . Some repairs are simple , while some restorations can take a year , but the end result is the same , they are all repaired or rebuilt . I use cars to compare with our bodies because many of us can identify with vehicles and the work it takes to get them in shape . There is one significant difference , though . A car is an object , whereas people are not . We can replace cars , but we cannot replace people .
Many of you need to get into the body shop , per se . Start with little changes that can affect your lifestyle positively . Your car won ’ t run well on bad gas , and you won ’ t run well on junk food and soda . Did you know many illnesses are directly related to the food we eat ? Our society has made it easy to eat terribly while making you feel like you are eating well .
People , the only way it will change is if you make a change . Many think we just get out of shape and get fat because we get older . That is false . We get out of shape and fat because we are lazy and refuse to take responsibility for ourselves . This is pretty clear cut ; do the work and you will see results , or don ’ t and you won ’ t .
I ’ m sure you have many people that would like to see you live longer and be healthier , so if you don ’ t care about yourself , at least consider those who love you and make a commitment to change . As always , the choice is yours to make . DI
Email Tommy at tommyd @ dragillustrated . com
January / February 2023
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