I'm training for a marathon. I'm currently running 4 miles with very little walking. This is the fittest I've ever been in my life at age 25. I look back at my former lifestyle of being sedentary, eating fast food, eating at buffets, and not knowing how to cook. I was at my heaviest in Vegas at 180+ lbs. Now I'm in my high 150's/low 160's, and this weight loss was almost unintentional. I mean it was so gradual and more a product of cultural influence than actual conscious diet and exercise. Losing weight has always been on my mind, but I can only recall a handful of times where I was specifically and regularly tracking my weight loss. My weight loss almost just kind of happened. 

I emphasize that it's really cultural influence that caused me to lead a different type of life than I did in Vegas. Now I associate being sedentary and eating fast food often with low socioeconomic status. Knowing how to cook is hip, and knowing how to cook healthy food is even hipper. I aspire to be a "foodie." That's what college-educated people value. And if half of my medical school classmates are running a half-marathon, then I can do it too. 

My life would not have been nearly as good if I stayed in Vegas. And though it's hypothetical, I'm almost positive about it. I'm glad I got out when I did and I'm glad I'm as fit as I am now. It's not too late for me at 25, it's actually quite early compared to a lot of people. 

This is kind of symbolic of what I think of my maturity at age 25. Because I'm so thoughtful and because I'm so educated and because I'm exposed to lots of different people being in medicine, I really try to live my life well. I have met, known, or learned about people who are ignorant, in denial, close-minded, excessively selfish, hateful, angry, etc. And I strive not to be like them. 

Don't get me wrong, I'm still growing. But I feel like I've outgrown some who are older than me. That's very un-Asian of me to think that way of my elders. Goes to show that I'm Asian American and have adopted Western values in some areas of my life.