The Lakota Indians have a proverb, "When a man moves away from nature his heart becomes hard." Likewise, Lakota Chief Flying Hawk said, "Nobody can be in good health if he does not have all the time fresh air, sunshine and good water." Truly, we are somewhat solar powered. The Sun provides us with vital Vitamin D – it is the best source. Some signs of Vitamin D deficiency are getting sick often, fatigue, bone and back pain, slow wound healing, bone loss, hair loss, muscle pain and depression. Yes, often people with Vitamin D deficiency suffer from depression. In my life, I have lived in seven places that experience extended weather-related overcast periods, some due to rainy periods or monsoons, two with a foggy weather condition called 'inversion', and two with periods of sandstorms. The results of all of these sun-blocking occurrences are the same – bad moods and depression. You can see it in the line at the grocery store and in the way people drive on the road – lack of sunshine makes us unkind to one another. We cannot always control the weather, but we can control what we do when there is good weather. I strongly encourage you to take advantage of the good weather. Turn off the TVs and the game systems and get fresh air and sunlight. It is the healthy thing to do and it keeps us in good spirits.
I will keep myself physically strong and morally straight – A Scout is Cheerful.