The brain is the center of all the action in your existence; shut down the brain and I don’t care how healthy you are, how far you can run, how much weight you can lift, how many sit-ups you can do, how nice your teeth look, how often you cook dinner for your wife, or how nice you are to your mother; you’re dead. With all the talk of spiritual health and physical health and emotional health, I’m surprised we don’t talk more about brain health. Not just ‘feeling’ good but literally, taking care of the rock that sits between the shutters on either side of your temples. Brain health is so-so important; if you ever watch student wrestlers, do you see what they wear around their skulls? There are moves you can do and moves that will disqualify you; the moves that get you booted, all involve the head. And if you ever watch “pro” (Hollywood) wrestling, you’ll see something very different; big crashes to those rubberized mats and all sorts of business when they’re slapping at one another, but never, ever will you see anyone come at the head of another wrestler with malice.

We all remember what happened to Marty Jannety.

So it’s no different for when you’re riding; you always need to wear protective gear; this means a helmet. If you’re on an ATV or motorcycle, you need to wear a helmet! Motorcycle helmets can be gotten anywhere you get motorcycles or motorcycle gear. In many states it’s illegal to even drive your bike home without a helmet. They will arrest you and take away your bike. It’s sort of a silly thing to be taken in for, but they’ve got no problem enforcing their silly laws.

And it’s not a silly law either. There are many good, practical reasons for your own continued life that even when you’re on the beach with your ATV with your kid or your buddies and you feel like it’s really no big deal that you wear your helmet that you do anyway.

Did you ever consider the role model that an older figure, father, brother, uncle, friend; plays on a kid. So while you may feel completely justified in not wearing your helmet and taking your own life into your hands, think of that kid who’s looking up to you and wanting to be just like you and think of the first time they go out an ATV alone or with their buddies. And think of the way he used to be able to say his name without slurring.

Oh no! He might not die; but all for a cheap motorcycle helmet, he could live the rest of his life in a vegetative state and you’d have no one to thank but yourself and that helmet that you didn’t wear.