I recently wrapped up my Advanced Topics in Exercise Physiology course in which we examined The Sports Gene by David Epstein. Great book and a wonderful group of students. Our take home from the course was that there is so much that makes us who we are.
On one level, we are all quite the same. Apparently, 99.9% of one’s genome is the same as any other human (90% similar to chimpanzees). Nonetheless, there are still more than 3 million differences between one person and another. These differences are what make us unique.
More than just our DNA, we are made different by our opportunities and experiences. We are different because of the genes of our parents, but also because of the experiences our parents (and others provided us). In a deleted chapter of The Sports Gene*, David Epstein discusses the emerging field of epigenetics. Epigenetics is “essentially the study of how our actions and experiences can cause chemical ‘marks’ to attach to genes and turn the activity of the genes up or down.” The field is new and, needless to say, experimentation in humans is limited and difficult, but it is suggested that even the environments and choices of the grandparents can affect the bodies of the grandchildren. So, perhaps, Per-Olof Åstrand was only partially correct in saying that “if you want to be an Olympic athlete, choose your parents wisely.” It may be more accurate to say “if you want to be an elite athlete, choose your grandparents wisely”!
The concept of equality is a myth. We are not created equal (thankfully!). We are all blessed with unique genetics and experiences that make us (extra)ordinary. So, it is not a bad thing to concede we are not equal. We should embrace, instead, the concept of equity. We should celebrate our individuality and treat one another with the same level of humanity.
Perhaps from the fields of genetics and epigenetics we can conclude that, Spiritually and Physically, 99.9% of us is interconnected. The remaining 0.1% of us is what gives us our Purpose and makes us Spiritually, Physically, Intellectually, Emotionally, and Socially unique. From such a perspective, it is difficult to deny that were born at the right time and of the right circumstances to be who we are intended to be. In addition, the experiences we have are shaping us more than we can imagine.
Be your best today; be better tomorrow!
Carpe momento!
*https://io9.gizmodo.com/how-an-1836-famine-altered-the-genes-of-children-born-d-1200001177