thependulumswings

One of the many gifts that Boom Boom gave us was the torrent of quips about how one leads one’s life.   He could say so much by saying so little.   A statement at just the right moment resonated in my young, eager eardrums.  How I interpreted or applied it was up to me.  No more words were spoken because no more words were needed.

Boom Boom lived a healthy and vivacious life for a full 80 years.   In his late seventies he was still regularly riding his bike, walking a mile or so, and maintaining his lawn and gardens to their pristine condition.

He began to suffer from a condition that negatively affected his sciatic nerve in his left leg.  I drove in to visit him not long thereafter.  As I pulled into the driveway his neighbor of nearly 40 years waved at me and walked over to say hello.  After pleasantries were exchanged he mentioned to me that Boom Boom had recently began walking backwards for a substantial portion of his mile plus journeys.  He rightfully expressed concern about him falling due to some of the unevenness of the sidewalk.

Dad greeted me at the door.  I went inside, unpacked, and grabbed some chow.  Then I asked innocently around what Mr. Lambert had expressed to me.   “What’s up with the new walk Dad?”  “I’ve been walking the same way for a long time son.  And, now, I’m facing a challenge.  I decided to tackle this ailment head on.  I need to find a solution.”  “Good Dad, good.  How is it going?”  “It’s too soon to tell.”  But, he said, “if you don’t challenge life, you won’t change how you live it.”

That afternoon, he put on his “walking” shoes, put on the dog’s leash, and was headed to the front door.  He asked if I wanted to join him for walk.  “Sure,” I said.  ‘Backwards,’ I wondered?

Much later in life I learned that in China older folks make walking backwards a daily habit for multiple health reasons including the relief of leg and joint pain.

Whether you walk forward or backwards I suppose that if you don’t challenge life, you won’t change how you live it.