From a talk by Mike Huckabee at the National Wellness Conference

1. Asking whether physical activity or healthy eating is more responsible for good health is sort of like asking an airline pilot which is more important – the left wing or the right wing.
2. In terms of physical activity, America is a lot like a football game – 22 people in need of rest and 70,000 people in need of exercise.
3. Rule of thumb for healthy eating - #1 If it was a food 100 years ago, it is probably still a food today and #2 If your food gets passed through a car window, it probably isn’t a real food.
4. Governor Huckabee drove a bobsled with next to no training. Before his run, his 16 year old brakeman gave him this profound advice. Don't worry about the mistakes behind you, they are already gone and you can do nothing about them. Don't worry about mistakes while they are happening because you can't correct during a mistake.  Just focus on the ice ahead.

Insights from my travels

After National Wellness, a family reunion took me to Hershey and Philadelphia PA, and to Washington DC.  In less than a week, I saw the Liberty Bell, Indepence Hall, the National Constitution Center, the Bill of Rights, The Constitution, the Declaration of Indepence, and a whole bunch of memorials and monuments to people who did amazing things for the United States of America.  I felt a sense of reverence and appreciation.

Also, it is no secret that I have very strong feelings about chocolate which would have been enough to make Hershey PA a winner in my book.  But I got the same feeling of reverence by how much good Milton Hershey did with his money. 

So here is the take home. As much as we dislike war; as much as we sometimes disagree with each other and/or with our elected leaders; as much as we wish for a cleaner, greener, safer world for our children; and as much as we would like to see change - we live in an AMAZING country. 

It is the people who chose to expend their energy by doing rather than by complaining who made it possible for us to express beliefs, worship, and pursue happiness according to the dictates of our conscience and without fear of retribution. 

So while I believe in God bless America, I think it is also time for U.S. citizens to bless America.  All of us.  I have no specifics, just a general feeling. Feel free to share your ideas.