The first time I ever participated in one of those pyramids – I was just a child. My family was involved. Some of my brothers and sisters were heavily involved in the pyramid. It got to the point where some of the siblings were feeling weighted down. It was a terrible burden, and as time went on, we had to leave the pyramid behind.

The second time I had anything to do with a pyramid was in high school. Mrs. Strup and Mrs. Lutterbein were our chaperones when they took 8 Spanish Class students to Mexico.

I found a postcard I had written and sent to my parents – the pyramid was in Taxco which is a city between Acapulco and Mexico City – both of which we traveled to and did the tourist and beach thing.

We climbed the pyramid, and I remember it was steep – and I had written on the postcard that there were 244 steps. Climbing the pyramid was easy. Then I looked down. I remember deciding upon a sit and scoot type of descent. I was glad to walk away safely from that pyramid.

And there was that food pyramid thing they taught us in home economics class – and most of us thought it had to be true if it was being taught in school.

Then I graduated and started working in the corporate world. Another pyramid. Those in administration were making so much more money than I.  There was this chain-of-command thing. There was no way someone at the bottom of the pyramid could make as much as the person at the top. No matter how hard that person at the bottom worked. I was OK with walking away from that pyramid.

I entered the business world and became an independent contractor – eventually for more than one company. It seemed to me this was the first time in my life I was not working within a pyramid – yet I was asked if I was in a pyramid – and the person doing the asking actually meant ‘pyramid scheme.’

I had to answer that I thought pyramid schemes had no end-product. A scheme is when they take your money – and you are left with no product. Pyramid schemes make money from deception, and they are indeed scams.

But I was a sales and service rep for an established company. It was a great job – and I was working with some wonderful people.

I was left wondering if the person who was asking if I am employed in a pyramid scheme really thought I would involve myself in a dishonorable position.

And so it goes… pyramids.

The employment position I took was with a credit card processing company. I learned how to be a sales and service rep. I help merchants with their compliance and annual reviews and all that good stuff. It’s a fun job. I meet lots of new people, and it was a great move. I truly love getting to know the merchants and employees at the businesses I work with.

Then I found and added Youngevity to the work I do – not to make money but to help my friends and family. I learned why I had long-standing insomnia – which is the inability to sleep.

I studied what life-style changes I should make and what supplements our cells would appreciate having. I studied for months before I ordered any products. I have learned that 20% of the supplements on the market are well-manufactured and 80% are supplements I would not choose to take.

Along the way – I also learned that multi-level marketing is beyond fair – and a brilliant way to compensate those who choose to work the hardest within the company. Nothing to do with seniority. Nothing to do with a pyramid. Just fair compensation.

Several of my friends and I had discussed our desire for a more formal way to learn about wellness and meet area merchants and businesses who teach and promote healthy life-styles. So we started the Ladies Day TEA at church. TEA stands for teaching, encouraging, and aiding. We invite speakers who will teach us the natural approach to wellness.

We later added a Proactive Wellness Discussion Group to the mix. We meet twice monthly, and it has evolved into a little think tank.

And through all my studying, I found BEMER. I thank God for the wellness path I am on. My family and friends tend to like it also.

People can think I am just trying to sell them something. And all I can say is wellness may cost something – but illness costs more. Having been employed as a home health and hospice RN, I have seen plenty of illness.

And watching wellness happen is really an enjoyable experience.

I can remember the feeling of – ‘just tell me what I need to do.’ And it is certainly great when we can find someone who will summarize and basically cut to the chase.

I know the over-whelming feeling of not knowing what an amino acid or digestive enzyme is. I get the not-wanting-to-study feeling. I agree that none of us want someone from another occupation telling us to study. I don’t want the mechanic, plumber, or computer repair guy telling me to study – I just want them to fix it, and I will pay the bill.

But the repair men know how the items broke down – and if there is knowledge they feel the customer needs to have – obviously they should tell us what we need to know about the item they just repaired and how to stay safe.

The human body is a spectacular being in which our soul is housed during the time we spend on this earth. And God tells us the body is a temple.

There is so much to learn about reversing any illness, and we have to learn how to maintain health after we have achieved it. We can forget why we started taking a supplement or why we made a life-style change. It is an on-going study.

More power to those who are working in wellness and are doing well financially as they are helping others recover. It would be mean to not share what we have learned about wellness with those who have taken an interest.

The Health Maintenance Organization Act, which was signed by President Nixon in 1973, is an interesting topic. After it was enacted – hospitals, doctors, clinics, and medical insurance companies could begin functioning as for-profit business entities instead of the service organizations they were intended to be.

We are on this earth to teach, encourage, and aid each other and the next generation in the way that we should go, and most people would have to agree it is our responsibility to live out our lives as the gift it truly is.

I don’t think I need to point out that we were having fun way back when this photo was taken in 1970. Steven was probably not wondering how he was going to get down from his pyramid, but I can tell his little hands were using our hair in order to secure himself on top of the stack of brothers and sisters.  

We are happy to report that Steven’s pyramid remains intact – at least figuratively – after more than 50 years.

The Pyramid Disclaimer:   Please remember pyramids can be great fun, but the information I have presented is for educational purposes only.

Certainly all of us know there is no pyramid anywhere that is going to treat, prevent, diagnose, or cure anything.

Make sure you are healthy enough to climb a pyramid, and remember once you get to the top – you have to have a way to get down from the pyramid.

You could slip up. You could get yourself weighted down. You could possibly even say something the wrong way. Even if you have seen someone else get healthy – you must not tell anyone about it.

All kinds of bad things could happen – regardless of the fun you are having.

So if you have been feeling weighted down – maybe even feeling the weight of the world on your shoulders – please seek advice from professionals. Or if your kids are perfect angels – somewhat like we were – just be very careful out there.