Taming strength to overcome weakness
This is the second in a series of articles in observance of Healthy Lifestyle Month, culled from fitness enthusiasts who have decided to make exercise their regular routine. The first article was written by Nadia and Rene Abesamis. — Editors
In celebration of Healthy Lifestyle Month, this Dumaguete-based couple is appreciated as one of the examples of living healthy lifestyles who came upon each other from two different worlds and experiences. This is the story of Cobbie and Dessa Quesada-Palm.
Sleepless evenings battling asthma attacks through elementary school define Dessa’s memory of childhood, and her turning to alternative remedies to the pharmaceutically-prescribed solutions.
Her asthma, coupled with her rheumatic heart disease, rendered her lackluster and lethargic most of her childhood years.
Vivid in her memory was a critical moment when the hospital and pharmaceuticals had failed to relieve her, and her mother rushed her to an acupuncturist in the Ongpin area of Manila where acupuncture needles saved her life.
“A moment like that has a profound and dramatic impact on your life forever,” she exclaims, “and it opened my eyes to the multiple dimensions of healing.”
The acupuncturist shared information on a proper healthy diet, and then looked at the young Dessa in the eyes, and said, “You need to exercise your lungs.”
Dessa took to the new diet of vegetable, grains, fish, and fresh food. The search for a way to exercise her lungs took her to the Philippine Education Theater Association (PETA) teen theater workshop the following summer as a high school freshman.
The principle was that theater will move one physically, and demand one’s lungs to respond to both the physical and vocal demands of acting.
“It was the summer that turned my life around,” Dessa says, smiling “from being the sickly unmotivated young girl of my elementary school class, to becoming the life of the party.”
The “life of the party” very well describes the vivacious spirit of Dessa today who simply says, “My near-death experience gave me a new lease on life, my eyes were opened to alternative healing practices, to the value of proper dieting, and to the importance of staying physically fit. These three, I can truly say, are the reasons I am here today.”
Unable to comprehend people who fall ill defines Cobbie’s childhood years. “I was ill so seldom that I do not have any memory of illness,” says Cobbie.
Life for Cobbie was pushing the physical limits at an early age. Memories of exploring the possibilities of skydiving with an umbrella from the rooftop, and learning the hard way that it does not work; the building of a jump ramp for the bicycle, and lining up boxes underneath to jump over — pretending they were cars; and taking a scooter to the highest hill in the neighborhood to see how fast it could go down, are all part of Cobbie’s formative years.
“I was reckless and at times, I thought I was indestructible, but I believe this was my headstart program in the making of a passion and ability for athletic excellence.”
The athletic abilities that came almost naturally to Cobbie did not always bring peaceful results. There were times when it was a burden and even a danger.
As Cobbie tells the story, “I remember transferring to a new school as an elementary student, and soon after my first gym class, a coach spotted me, and invited me to the football team, and almost immediately, I was given the coveted position of quarterback. At practice a few weeks later, the young boy whose position I had unknowingly stolen, came to the field with a trench coat, and started walking toward me. At about three meters away from me, he opened the trench coat and I saw he was holding a kitchen knife. Thanks to my headstart program, I just ran faster than I ever did before.”
From an early age, athletic ability has been an instrument of survival for Cobbie, and later, it translated into the tennis scholarship that supported his academic program.
“It was the discipline of representing the school in NCAA level competition that tamed my reckless and indestructible attitude,” says Cobbie. “I adopted the mantra ‘God creates the opportunity but Cobbie has to perfect the delivery’. I came to understand that to perfect the delivery, my part in the performance equation needed the discipline of serious practice, a healthy diet, and a clean lifestyle. And there are no shortcuts.”
The lives of Dessa and Cobbie began to converge in 2002. Their coming together was the meeting of healthy lifestyles from two different contexts. Dessa’s from the perspective of finding strength from weakness. Cobbie’s from the perspective of taming strength to overcome weakness.
Looking back through lives, they picked up these proven lessons from their journey. Whether you are feeling fragile or indestructible:
1)A healthy diet and exercise is a discipline to becoming the best that you can be.
2) A healthy diet and exercise builds the stamina to perform well in your job, relate more fully to loved ones, and get through each day with energy.
3) A healthy diet and exercise makes your mind clearer, your soul cleaner, and your body happier.
4) A healthy diet and exercise transforms your body and skin into youthful appeal.
5) A healthy diet and exercise links you with new and interesting people.
6) A healthy diet and exercise is a covenant with God, ensuring the stewardship of one’s instrument for service and ministry.
