What is a Second Half Lion?

What is a Second Half Lion?

My Brief Story

I am a 54-year-old man with four wonderful children and a beautiful wife of 34 years.  This picture is from my daughter Abby’s wedding.  We are walking back from the front of the courtyard where she was married.  We have had a wonderful life with lots of ups and downs.  Some of these I caused by my stupidity, some of these were just life taking its pound of flesh.  All in all, it has been a great life.  Lots of love, happiness, joy, tears, and gratefulness to God for all his blessings.

“I have a set a goal to live to 100 years old.”

I have set a goal to live to 100 years old.  So, after 50 I considered myself in the “Second-Half”.  I arrived at 50 sixty pounds overweight, pissed off most of the time, and mad at the world.  I had a serious financial tragedy in my life a few year before that left me scarred.   I still loved my family, but my joy, peace, and hope for the future were gone.  I could not figure what was happening to me.  Then when I was fifty my father at 85 passed away.  He had always been an important part of my life.  Sometimes an example of what to be, sometimes a warning of what not to be.  It was time for some re-evaluating of my attitudes, health, lifestyle, and thinking.

How can I live a life filled with health, joy, and happiness?

Not long after this milestone, I was on a vacation with my wife in Washington DC, visiting my oldest daughter (we have three) and walking around.  She lived up in the Columbia Heights neighborhood.  This was not far from the Mall, about two miles.  It was July and about 95 degrees.  We walk down to the mall enjoying the day.  Now after we toured around the monuments it was time to hike back up the hill.  The two miles from the Mall to her apartment was almost all uphill.  Several times I considered hiring an Uber to get back and just meeting them there.  My heart was beating out of my chest.  I was actually concerned about the possibility of permanent damage if I continued.

“I almost die walking around Washington, DC.”

I decided then and there that I would make some serious changes.  You see I was not always out of shape.  I am an ex-Navy Diver.  Spent nine years in the US Navy on submarines, and was always a serious fitness buff.  Bodybuilding and Karate throughout my teens, along with high school sports left me a good base to work from.  Not until the business downturn of 2008 did I let myself go.  I was 183 at that time and wore a 34” pants. At 5’9” I was still stocky, but I have always been a linebacker.  I will never be a wide receiver, that is just the facts. What I did not understand is that as you age you can “let it go” much faster, and it is five times more work getting it back!!!!! I got to a 40-inch waist and 240 pounds.  YUCK!!!

It can all go away really fast as you age!!!!!!

I started working out, walking outside or on a treadmill, lifting weights, and calisthenics.  Low and behold I could not recover in time for the next workout   I had to way dial it back to get down to my level of recoverability.  This lack of recoverability is what caused me to start reading everything I could find on the subject of male aging and testosterone.  I also spent a bunch of time and energy trying different diets, exercise types, and supplements.  After all this time I now consider myself an “expert” on the subject and I know what is working for me, and I believe it can help others.

What in the hell is wrong with me?  Why can’t recover from a workout?

During this time, I went to my doctor at the VA and she gave me the long face…..  “Mr. Crossley you have got to make some changes….  Thanks, like I did not know that.  I was getting into better shape, the numbers on the treadmill and heart rate monitor reflected that, but my weight was not going down.  She had me meet with the VA nutritionist and review what I was and was not eating or drinking.  She really helped me find the answers for me.  Especially about what not to eat.  More on that in future blogs.

What foods to avoid did more for me than what to eat…..

Now to why this Blog and why “Second Half Lions”.  I found some truths that are working for me and I want to pass them along to my fellow Lions.  The world needs our wisdom, our families need our love and attention.  We are the only ones who can inspire a new generation of young people to step thru the minefields of line.  Our grandkids and kids need us to be the example of growing older, but not old.  To finish out the second half with energy, guts, hope for the future, and unconditional love.

A Second Half Lion:

• Has made friends with his past, and is hopeful for the future.
• Loves unselfishly and unconditionally.
• Realizes life is about others, not himself.
• Lives to give, not lives to get.
• Loves his family with a reckless abandon that is unquenchable.
• Lives life with huge goals and dreams.
• Lives a disciplined focused life.
• Uses things and loves people, and never gets those reversed.
• Is healthy, trim, and vibrant.
• Is committed to loving his wife with an unbridled passion.
• Is faithful to God, Wife, Country, and his Family.
• If an inspiration to everyone that meets him.
• Is committed to leaving the world a better place than he found it.
• Will dance and celebrate at his grandkids weddings.
• Will be an example to follow and not a warning to heed.
• Whose memory will be a legacy that will live for generations.
• To do all he can every day to be the best he can be. 
• To never give up, 100% effort to LIVE and not go gentle into that good night……

With Love and Respect,

Steve Crossley, I am The Second Half Lion.