Back in 1986, I bought this old '72 Ford LTD. I payed cash for it.......$750. She was a "cream puff" as my dad would say. I drove that thing through my first year of residency (1997). I loved that car. It was simple, straight-forward, no nonsense. There were no onboard computers, no electric windows, no navigation system (not that I couldn't have used one of those a time or two driving back and forth to college). I always tried to find a faster, easier route from Waverly to Spencer. Truth is, by the time I got back on the main roads after being lost, I didn't save a minute of time.

And then there is my dad telling me to check the oil, make sure you have water in the radiator, and don't travel if you are tired? Well, I might have overlooked a few of his comments more than once! Like the time, I was singing along to my favorite Bruce Springsteen song while the breeze was blowing in through the window, my hair blowing like a tumble weed, the lining on the roof of the car sagging down because the air was getting up underneath and causing a parachute like effect. Don't laugh, this is all true. Then, oh man, I hadn't driven far enough nor long enough before this black smoke was coming out from under the hood. I got out and went around to the front of the car. I stood there looking down, like an idiot, immobile. I was struck by the fact that I didn't really want to have a look. I knew it had been a long time since I looked under the hood. And, I am not sure I wanted to the information lying at the end of the dipstick.

I had to have a look. This could not go on. I found the oil dipstick, pulled it out with dread.........whew, a cold shiver fell over me. It looked ok. I sighed, but next was the radiator. I heard my dad's voice, "Malea, don't forget to check the water level in the radiator". Oh good grief, Malea, just loosen up the cap and see what damage has been done. Yea, that was it. I peered into the DARK, black hole and could just barely see the water level line. Good thing I stopped when I did. You know the people who don't stop....They drive with a fire coming out from under their hood untill they get to the next town! Luckily, I had some water bottles in my car. My dad kept gallon jugs of water in my trunk for fear that this very thing would happen to me on the road! My dad is so smart!

We do this with our internal life as well. Something comes up to cause us to realize it has been a long time since we had a look under the hood. We eat poorly for years and years only to find that our cholesterol is elevated, we are on the verge of diabetes, and our BMI reads.........."Obese". Over the years I have learned a valuble lesson: pay now, or pay MORE later. It's true in every aspect of our life. "I don't want to exercise. I just want to coast along." It's usually too late when we find ourselves in the ICU after a major heart surgery. So, what's the deal here? I will tell you what is really going on here...........WE do not want to be inconvenienced. Whether it is the water level in my radiator or the health of your heart, we don't want the information that we already sense could be bad or worse yet, don't want the disruption that it could bring. WE would rather avoid it altogether.........until my car shuts down, or you have your first MI.

The truth is, we all need to make a little shift in life. We all need to cultivate a willingness to go wherever it is we need to go to face life........especially when it comes to the internal issues. I love my old Ford LTD, but it is nothing compared to your health. There is no getting to it later. We don't get to it later. It simply goes away. Now is the time.........check under your hood!