For All It's Worth

Thank God I don’t remember those crawling

infant days of mine before becoming a full

fledged toddler. Oh, the coordination of arms

and legs, the delicate balance to remain up-

right, the left-foot, right-foot sequence it

takes to motivate. Had I had the conscious

awareness of what it takes to become a func-

tional bipedal creature, I may have never

made it. Had I the proper vertebrae, I may

have instead opted to throw in the towel

and slither across the floor like a snake. And in

the primary grades had I known the foresight

and diligence required to learn my alphabet

and times table, I may have stormed out of

class screaming like a banshee on crack cocaine,

swearing never to take a sober breath again. I

understand now, especially after having been

through what most of us must learn to become

a contributing member of the human race, It

ain’t easy, no how, no way! I do, however, fondly

remember the childhood joy of opening presents

on Christmas day. As an old fart now with arthritic

hips and knees, I consider each day a Yuletide gift

with each step I manage to make. Oh, had I only

known back then what it would take. Why I might

have...No, on second thought...left foot, right foot,

all over again. Thank God for my cane.

Chris Hanch 6-4-19