I’m no doctor and do not attempt to provide medical advice, but as a writer who observes life in all its manifestations and attempts to share those observations with his readers, I so wanna say – speaking colloquially – that one cannot under-estimate the impact of a tranquil mind on the body.

Many in the medical field have long established a link between one’s mental well-being and one’s physical well-being. Hardly anyone of us can avoid the ordeals of daily life – involving work, school, family, loved ones, neighbors, strangers, commute, finances , etc. – but a mind that can relax, that will not easily get agitated, that takes life in stride can surely minimize bodily harm.

It’s not easy to avoid getting temperamental, agitated, angry when a curve ball comes along, or to sometimes feel vanquished by the vicissitudes of life. The thing is to try to control the emotions that can create or aggravate physical or medical conditions.

Perhaps it involves simmering down when the urge is to retaliate or get angry. It might even involve applying the biblical admonition that a soft answer turns away wrath; it might mean not “winning” every argument, every fight, conceding sometimes.

Often it also means being thankful and satisfied for the blessings one already has accumulated along the way. One must stop and pause and give thanks. It’s great to be ambitious – but it’s useful too to compare one’s standing and point along the spectrum with that of peers and others who have yet to reach that mark.

The critical perspective, though, is to not get worked up emotionally and otherwise when adversity or shortfalls come along, to keep a relaxed mental state free of greed, envy, hostility, malice, turbulence, hate, and discontent.

It’s a tall order – but if it adds a few years to life or makes the rest of the journey more pleasant, and the body less impaired or sick, it will surely be worth it.