Saturday as I was walking down the driveway I ran into a friend in the name of Christie Garesche. Christie asked me if this is a new thing for me. She told me that she’d never seen me walk. Without realizing it there are actually a lot of people who’ve never seen me walk. My vision for the future is that everyone sees me walk and knows me as someone who is active, viral, and on my feet.
Took me 20 minutes today to walk from the garage to the front sidewalk and back. After lunch I walked the same distance in 15 minutes. What I’ve learned from this is the importance of walking regularly throughout the day.
My brother Tim e-mailed me in response to the terrible news about my brother-in-law Michael McDonald and the announcement that the doctor basically gave him 3 to 6 months to live. Michael is an example of real life heroism. The doctor in St. Louis questioned why he would go to Houston for additional chemotherapy when he only had 3 to 6 months to live. Michael’s response was it may not help me but it may provide something for Victoria his niece and maybe someone else who has lymphoma.
Tim then asked what it was like to walk today versus September 1969. I reflected for a moment that in September 1969 was my first semester at the University of Illinois. I was both scared and excited about being at such an extraordinary school. I knew I was surrounded by very bright and talented students. I remember that it was up to me to prove myself as a student and distinguish myself in the world of design and landscape architecture. Even then I remember walking across campus from Pennsylvania Avenue all the way up to the engineering campus noticing that I was experiencing a bit of stiffness in my legs. I remember when it was warm there was less stiffness and one of cold.
Today I’m going to try steps in the house, not because it has been prescribed by Meriideth or Shawn but because I feel as if I need to do it.
I will keep you posted as I journey through this plateau…
