Yesterday, I found myself with a little bit of free time.  I could have, probably should have, chosen to write, so I wouldn’t be rushing to publish a blog this morning.  I could have chosen to read, to expand my horizons.  I’m currently reading three books.  I have about as much focus as a flea. Instead, I decided to walk.

That probably doesn’t seem like a big deal to you.  But twice in the last six weeks, I have lost my ability to walk.  I have a weird medical condition that I’m calling “trick knee”, where in my knee will lock in place for hours, and be unable to bear any weight.  When this happens, I am unable to do much of anything.

When it happened last week, I was in so much pain that I went to a community hospital.  They gave me pain medication, but did not nothing to diagnose me.  So I went away weeping in pain on my crutches, barely even able to sit in the car.

A few days later, I was using one crutch instead of two.  A few days after that, I was walking unassisted. Yesterday, I was in no pain, as the doctor twisted and turned my knee in every which direction, trying to figure out the cause.  Thankfully, I don’t need surgery.

My great uncle, used to love walking, and he would sing the first line of the second verse of Leaning on the Everlasting Arms while he strolled from the his garden to the garage, and finally into the house.

Oh how sweet to walk, in this pilgrim way. (Leaning on the Everlasting arms)

Oh how bright the path grows from day to day.  (Leaning on the everlasting arms.)

I never understood why he always stopped at “Oh, how sweet to walk.”  But now I do.

So many of us take for granted things like sight, and speech, or the activity of our limbs. I know I did.  I won’t do that any more.  I know how sweet it is to walk.

Mama Radford

P.S For the people I love who are having to learn how to walk again, know that you are not walking alone!