Keep Walking

The harder the conflict, the more glorious the triumph.


Thomas Paine
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Helllo Val
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Tuesday I went for a long walk, to and fro. I had some errands and some shopping to do. On the way back I was pulling a shopping cart full of groceries and other sundries. (You are realy fascinated with this essay, aren't you?)

My feet and my legs cooperated with me the whole way. The last step on the journey was hauling the shopping cart up the stairs. When I got here I was exhausted. (Now you're really intrigued, admit it. Wait, it gets better.)

A month or so ago I couldn't walk at all except on crutches. That made shopping a very tricky business. If I went a short distance I could take the shopping cart and one crutch. If I had to go a greater distance it was both crutches and my back pack. (I hope you're taking notes, or saving this on your little iPad, or whatever fiendish gadget you use.)

For several years my peregrination involved a cane and when I found I couldn't depend upon the cane is when I went to the crutches. (Got that?)

Even before the crutches came into my life some well meaning but misinformed friends set to work to fix me, by moving me into an old folks, assisted living, nursing home and trying to arrange for a new hip. One of them assured me I would soon be bed ridden. (Here's the wind up. Get ready for the pitch.)

I choose to live my life by the three words that appear at the bottom of this epic. (Don't scroll down yet. I'm not finished.) I decided that the answer to this particular conflict was to walk. True, someone was driving me around for a while until that person became someone I didn't want to know. But since then I've been basically on my own two feet, literally. (Are you with me?)

Then one day, about a month or so ago, I took the crutches but didn't use them. I carried them with me on a long walk, but never used them. The next day that I went out, I went without the crutches. It felt strange walking out without anything in my hand to lean on. No cane, no crutches. I was leaning on spirit.

(Here's the pitch.) My crutches are now in the corner. If I had a fire place they would be hanging above it, sort of like my own version of a stuffed moose head. I still have trouble walking but every time I take to the outside it gets easier. And that's how it is. We have more ability to face up to and achieve a triumph over the conflicts in our lives than we think we do. Whatever it is, the solution is already there, the answer is already there, the idea is already there, they simply have to be discovered. Don't fall prey to the temptation to believe that someone else can solve your problems, keep walking and do what it says at the bottom of this page.


DB - Vagabond Journeys
Never Give Up
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Unexpected Undertaking 10/04/09

Love is good. Love with noodles is better.

Unknown
(I think it's an Amish saying. It sounds like it.)
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Come walk with me.
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After posting "Temporary Tacking" just after midnight, I retired to bed. When I awoke I could not stand on my left leg. Trying to get around my apartment has been severely painful. I have to grab a hold of everything if I want to move from one place to another. If it doesn't improve by Monday I will have to hobble to the RiteAid and buy some crutches. That's normally a 15 minute walk.

I am one of those that the crack pots are trying to deprive of health insurance.

So if you happen to see an old geezer looking like Sasquatch with a NY Yankees cap on, limping down the street, that's me. Wave
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Years ago, when I was living in New York, I drove to Allenberry, Pennsylvania, to see my friend Lowell performing in an Offenbach operetta. On the way I passed through the Amish territory. At one spot there was a yard sale, so I stopped to look. Among the items on display were some beautiful cedar chests. While I was fussing with one, trying to get it open, a young Amish man with his straw hat came over and showed me how to open it. I was very impressed. I told him I was on my way to Allenberry but wanted to stop by on my way back. He gave me his card which read "Eli Lapp" with a small drawing of a map to his shop.

On the way back home I tried very hard to find his shop using the map but I wasn't able to do it. Disappointed,I went back to New York.

The following summer Lowell was again back at the Allenberry Playhouse, this time doing Gilbert and Sullivan. So I drove back out to see him. I had saved the map in my wallet, so on the way I tried again to find Mr. Lapp and his cedar chests. Following the map I turned down a side road and saw a humble sign that told me I had found it.

There was a house with a driveway next to it. I went down the driveway to the back where there was a barn with a horse and buggy. There were two little Amish kids sitting on the back porch. When they saw me they jumped up and ran inside. A few moments later here came Eli. I told him about stopping off at the yard sale the year before and about unsuccessfully trying to find his shop. I explained that I was on my way to Allenberry but would like to look at his chests. He opened the door to the barn and we went in to his workshop. The one chest that caught my eye had a sign on it that said "sold." I said it was the one I wanted. He said he had just made another one like it and went into the back to bring it out. I asked him the price. It was very reasonable. Remarkably so. I paid him and the two of us huffed and puffed to get it into the back seat of the Toyota I was driving. It almost didn't fit, but we got it in. He told me had taken doors off of cars to get them in. I said "Yes. I'll bet you have." One wouldn't want to leave one of those chests behind because it didn't fit in a car.

I had many years of pleasure owning that chest. That was decades ago. I don't know if he's still working. I hope so I don't remember the name of the town but if you find yourself in the Pennsylvania Amish area, (Paradise, Bird In Hand, Fertility, Gap), seek out Eli Lapp. You'll be glad you did.

DB
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Lots of sunshine to you.
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Weekend Head Scratcher

Two of the items below do not belong on the list.

Which one's are they and why?

ALAND

ANDORRA

ESTONIA

FAROE ISLANDS

LIECHTENSTEIN

LUXEMBOURG

MONACO

REDONDA

SAN MARINO

SEALAND

SIKKIM

VATICAN

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3 good answers so far.

Good luck.
DB