Pre-Ramble: So, I am currently working on a project with the University of Minnesota Extension – a branch of the U that “extends” its vast body of knowledge and resources into the local community – on messaging and communications materials about good health and nutrition for families and children.

Unless you’ve had your head in a cookie jar, you are probably aware of the national push in this direction as well, with Michelle Obama’s initiative to combat childhood obesity, “Let’s Move.”

 The Let’s Move! campaign, started by First Lady Michelle Obama, has an ambitious national goal of solving the challenge of childhood obesity within a generation so that children born today will reach adulthood at a healthy weight. Let’s Move! will combat the epidemic of childhood obesity through a comprehensive approach that will engage every sector impacting the health of children and will provide schools, families and communities simple tools to help kids be more active, eat better, and get healthy.”

Beyond baby fat – Recent statistics indicate that one-in-three children in the United States is obese and, “For the first time in 200 years, children are likely to have a shorter life expectancy than their parents.”

• Childhood obesity accounts for $14 billion annually in direct health expenses, and that number is growing
• Excess weight in kids increases their risk of developing diabetes, heart disease, high blood pressure, cancer and asthma
• Less than 33 percent of kids surveyed ate two or more servings of fruit per day
• Just 26 percent of those surveyed ate three or more vegetables in a day
• Kids spend an average of 5.5 hours per day engaged in media-driven sedentary activities (playing video games or watching TV)

Let’s face it – There are a lot of reasons why kids (and adults) are putting on more pounds than they might like: ”healthy” foods can cost more; they can be difficult to find in some communities; information and awareness about healthy foods and lifestyle may be lacking; busy parents and families may not have time to plan, shop and prepare healthy meals as often as they’d like; kids aren’t running around outside the way they used to; and, for whatever reason, parents aren’t insisting that kids turn off the TV and trot on outside as much as they might have in the past.

And actually, … healthy foods … the ones loaded with vitamins and minerals, can be kind of labor intensive. Until pre-washed, pre-chopped baby field greens and those freakishly rounded tiny carrots came onto the scene, eating veggies sure was a lot more work than popping open a bag of chips … Cutting, chopping, bowls, peels, seeds, water all over the place … Well, and, in the case of vegetables like cauliflower and broccoli, unless there is some steaming and dipping involved, they can come off as what has been described by the target population (kids and teens … and some adults) as “super yucky.”

Yes, this will not be easy — socioeconomics, lifestyle habits, parenting, marketing, accountability and convenience present a formidable set of factors. The fix for this complex, deeply ingrained issue must extend beyond catchy missives and green leafy photo ops.

The Take-Away:  The promising solutions here are as much about incentives (carrots) as they are about admonishment (sticks). The “Let’s Move” campaign is on the right track with its up-beat, multi-pronged approach. Let’s hope that this, and efforts like it, are able to bring together a fresh new combination of partners and ideas – and cook up a successful and healthy outcome for America’s kids.

(Corny ending.)

Pre-Ramble: I run on a lake path near my house, and the great thing about this venue is that the lake has some neat new surprise to offer every day. Sometimes it’s the sunlight sparkling off the surface of the water, or a big old fish jumping clear out of the lake to grab a bug, or ominous dark clouds in the distance, a harbinger of weather to come. Being in the presence of the lake is always calming and often inspiring.

So, I was out on a run (actually more of a shuffle) yesterday when I came upon one of those sights that literally stops you in your tracks and makes you say “Wow!” out loud, even though there’s no one there to hear it. Poufy white clouds were hanging against a clear blue sky — picturesque as all get out — and then, below, reflecting in the still glass surface of the lake, was an exact copy of the scene above.

We’ve all seen that, but something about the cartoon-esque shapes of the clouds and the quality of the light made me feel like I was caught in the middle of a painting. As is often the case, I wished I had had my camera to take a picture of this very cool effect and share it with family and friends.  

However, as I do not generally bring my camera along on runs, rather than revel in the visual delight that was before me, I spent a majority of the time trudging along grousing about not having my camera … and how long would it take me to run home and get the camera … ? … and would the effect be gone when I got back … ? … blah, blah …

Basically, I wrecked the whole vibe of the moment trying to capture it.

And even if I had had my camera, the fact that I would be messing around with taking a picture of the beautiful scene — am I getting the best angle on it? … is the lighting good? … is the shot in focus? … is the tip of my finger in the shot again? … etc. – would interfere with the beauty and meaning in the moment itself.

The Take-Away: Recording life’s milestones and meaningful moments is an important thing to do, however there is also something to be said for the value of the pure, fully-lived moment.  As we embark on the fun, carefree days of summer, try to find space to live in the moment and enjoy whatever is there for you – unencumbered by pressure to capture, record, scrapbook, tweet, … and ok …, blog about it.

Rejoice in the things that are present – all else is beyond thee.  — Montaigne