I've often thought that if I ever wrote an autobiography, I would title it ''It's Not Just Stairs.'' This stems from the fact that up until I had back surgery, I pretty much thought I could do anything any other kid could do. Maybe not as fast or as well but nothing in my mind hindered my effort to try. Then after surgery, negotiating stairs was a challenge that stopped me in my tracks. I learned I had to have something to hold onto and if there wasn't a rail, I'd find another route. Pride halted the mere thought of a cane or any other aide. My thoughts back then were that I could manage with just stairs being my only hurdle to jump in life. Pretty naive, you might say?
I was raised with expectations not excuses. A philosophy that all parents should embrace in their kids. My parents knew life itself would set the limits for me and they didn't need to lower the bar of what was required of me.
So now it's not just stairs as my only challenge in life but they are loaded down with other things. I'm still climbing them despite all the junk in the way because of the solid foundation from which I was raised. Thanks Mom and Dad.