 January 2005
Learning to Walk Again
Learning to walk is not easy; it takes an infant
much time and effort. But did you ever think how hard it would be to
learn to walk a second time? Or a third? Or a fourth? I knew a man that
had to learn to walk four times in his life.
When growing up in Iowa, one of our neighbors was a
man named Fred Coulter. Fred learned to walk four times during his 77
years.
First was when he was as a toddler taking his first
steps.
Second was when as a child he contracted both
scarlet fever and diphtheria. Doctors gave up on him and the local
weekly newspaper predicted his death and promised details of his funeral
in next week’s paper. But Fred eventually recovered and had to learn
to walk all over again.
Third was when he was in his 40’s and arthritis
confined Fred to bed for a long time. Doctors declared he would never
walk again. But he did.
Finally when Fred was 71 someone rammed his bright
yellow Ford pickup. Recovery was painfully slow. Fred required round the
clock nurses for six months. But with physical therapy and great
determination, Fred learned to walk again.
We can learn a lot about perseverance and
determination from Fred Coulter. Sometimes we get knocked down—maybe
not physically knocked down, but mentally, emotionally, or spiritually.
We don’t think we can get up again. But the mark of success is getting
up and walking again no matter how many times you go down.
Get up and keep walking in 2005!
John Kline
Montgomery, Alabama
jkline@klinespeak.com
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