written by Emil Baldwin, Jr., LSW
Homepage: http://emilville.com
Email: emil@emilville.com\

I was at my swallowing therapy one day when I overheard an interesting conversation. The therapy is held in the rehab room of a nursing home and shares space with Physical Therapy. Two old guys, Mr. A and Mr. B, were getting acquainted by asking the usual questions. Mr. A was somewhat feeble and extremely hard of hearing. Mr. B appeared to be healthier, heavier, and had a booming voice. As they talked, they realized they knew each other years ago. Mr. A said, "How old are you now?"       B: "I'll be 90 in January."       A:  "90...are you still livin' by yourself?"       B: "Yeah...well, there's my girlfriend but she's got a place of her own."       A: "Girlfriend?" Mr. A, who was a new arrival, asked, "What are you in here for?"       B: "I broke my leg."       A: "Broke you're leg? How'd ya do that?"       B: "I fell off my four-wheeler."       My first thought was, "What the HELL was a 90-year old man doin' on a four-wheeler?" Then I started to admire the old guy's spunk...he's got a girl friend and rides up and down the hills of West Virginia on a questionably-safe vehicle...that takes guts. Maybe no one told him that 90-year olds weren't suppose to act like that OR maybe he heard but just didn't believe in the concept of "supposed to act like that". What he heard or believed is hard to say but he did seem to realize that his beliefs and self-imposed limits could be more paralyzing than the real thing.     No one knew that more than actor Christopher Reeve, who died on October 10th, 2004. Before his accident, he was an adventurer and risk-taker. After his accident, he remained the same...always pushing himself to do more and become more than he was yesterday. He not only progressed by inches but he inspired others to do likewise. A tireless campaigner for stem cell research and other health/social issues he made an impression whenever he spoke. He did not stop, his spirit did not wither, and despite outward appearances...he did not become paralyzed.     We all have situations and pressures that are thrust upon us...age, health, money, behavior, children, or relationships. They not only disrupt our lives but more importantly, they THREATEN to disrupt our lives. How we handle those challenges will always be the key question. The answer will have to be written by each of us in our own way.     It is my hope that when each of us reaches age 90, that we will share a yell and a wave from time to time...not from our rocking chairs on the front porch but from the seats of our shiny, red, four-wheelers...complete with racing stripes.