Lessons for a father - Do You Like To Breathe?

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Seriously, do you like to breathe? And this is not a loaded scientific-environmental question. Just a simple, do you like breathing? If, like me, your answer is in the affirmative, then you must also realize how important breathing is for us. It is so important, in fact, that without it we would not survive for too long.

How much continuous and conscious thought do we, then, put in to something that our life depends on? I give it next to nothing. I do not think about breathing all day. I feel a need to breathe and, without any thought whatsoever, I breathe in response.

If, however, I were to think about it, breathing would require the following parts of our body to work:

• Diaphragm
• Chest cavity
• Lungs
• Intercostal muscles
• Rib cage
• Nose/ Mouth
• Windpipe
• Bronchial tubes
• Alveoli (air sacs)
• Capillaries (blood vessels)
• Hemoglobin
• Pulmonary artery

A very good definition of breathing is available at the National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute's website (link is here). All that work with so many components coming together and working to let us live and we hardly think about it?

But, if we wanted to learn, get better at our art, help others, lead, get fitter or stronger, respect everyone, provide inspiration by what we do, how we talk and how we live, we think about it endlessly.

We will not die if we do not lead by example or inspire others and get better. We might stagnate as people but we will continue to exist. The result can be a lot more catastrophic if we stopped breathing.

What if, on the other hand, we transformed our thought process to accept that being happy, continuous self improvement, respect and care for others is like breathing? Instead of endlessly thinking about it, what if, just like breathing, we just do whatever needs to be done? Somethings might not work that simply. A lot of them will.

We spend so much time in analyzing and thinking that, sometimes, we do not give the "doing" enough time. What is the worst thing that can happen if the entire plan with all the nuances is not in place? We would fail. We would have to adapt and make changes. We would have to come up with a different plan. Sure. But, by that time we would know exactly what would not work.

Breathe. In. Out. Now, go do what you have always needed to do. A lot of times that is all it takes.