Written by Dennis Harvell
Motion Over Memory
There’s a gravity to the past that gets heavier as we get older. When the house is quiet and the mind starts to wander, it’s easy to get pulled into the orbit of what we’ve lost. I think about my brothers, gone too soon. I think about my parents. I think about the rest of my family scattered across the map like seeds in the wind. In those moments, the world feels heavy.
I call it The Funk.
A quiet force that tries to convince me it’s better to stay home, sit in the stillness, and let the memories take over. It’s an internal battle between the man I used to be—the extrovert who thrived on the energy of others—and the man I am now, learning to find happiness in the solo miles.
But here’s the truth: motion is the only cure for a heavy mind.
Whether it’s dopamine or just a shift in perspective, doing something—anything—changes the frame. Today, the battle was real. The couch was winning. But I chose to get up. I chose the gym bag. I chose the sweat. And the result wasn’t just a stronger body; it was a lighter spirit.
People ask how I stay so positive in my 60s. The answer is simple: I don’t let the past become a prison. Reminiscing has its place, but if you’re not careful, it can turn you inward. It can make you retreat. I’m an extrovert by nature, but these days I’m finding a new kind of joy in being “in between.” I’m my own best company, and as long as I have a plan for tomorrow—even if it’s just a light treadmill session or a slow leg workout—I have something to look forward to.
Happiness doesn’t have to cost a dime. It’s found in the walk to the gym, the steam of a post‑workout shower, and the quiet victory of choosing to live in the present. The past is a story already written. But tomorrow? Tomorrow is still a blank page in the Concrete Pulse of my life.
And I plan on filling it.