The Downside of Being Yourself

Just be yourself, they all say.

A colonoscopy earlier this week netted the good news that my colon is healthy. That's one less body part to worry about! Actually it's a pretty big one since the average colon (a.k.a. large intestine) is five feet long. Since my father died of colon cancer, it's been a concern. According to WebMD, "One of the risk factors for colorectal cancer is a family history of the disease." I don't have it, and likely won't get it because I'm too old (aging has its perks), so I'm free to worry about something else.

Yeah, yeah, I know -- worrying is a waste of time. It doesn't change anything. Like the rest of the world, I've heard the song (Don't Worry, Be Happy) and while it's a catchy ditty it doesn't keep me from thinking the slightest backache or arm pain signals a heart attack. This happens after you've had a heart attack, which I did, fifteen months ago to be exact.

Sammy Davis, Jr.

I've heard that a major health scare wakes you up and makes you appreciate each day so much more. You hear the birds chirping, stop and smell the roses, etc. Well I did all that stuff before my heart attack, and now all I do is worry about having another one while I'm listening to the chirping birds or smelling the damn roses. That's just me, and according to philosopher Lao-Tse, reputed author of the Tao Te Ching, founder of philosophical Taoism and a deity in traditional Chinese religion and hippie communes everywhere, my hands are tied: I gotta be me. 

Legendary entertainer Sammy Davis Jr. popularized that sentiment. His cover of the song "I've Gotta Be Me" peaked at number 11 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart in early 1969 and remained in the Top 40 for 11 weeks.

So now I'm looking around for somebody else to be. Someone who doesn't worry and never had a heart attack. BTW, Sammy Davis was busy "being himself" by smoking cigarettes. He got throat cancer and died at 64.