Step Up

As we quickly approach Thanksgiving, it is relevant to think about and be thankful for the things that we have instead of complaining about or wishing for the things we don't. The obstacles in life are tough for everyone. We all have different careers, family lives, body types, religious beliefs, etc, but we can all agree that even during "good times" there are tough obstacles. Actually, since "good" is a relative term anyway, we must experience adversity in order to truly appreciate our accomplishments and the opportunities that present themselves.

This past weekend, one of my clients had the opportunity to do the event, "Skyrise Chicago," where participants climb all of the flights of stairs in the Willis Tower. 2,109 steps in 103 floors to be exact. What is special about this opportunity is that my client has two prosthetic legs below the knee. Wow! In mock trials we did on the stairmill over the past two weeks, I realized that not only would my client finish the event, but he would finish with a better time than a lot of "normies" (his term for us who have all of our limbs). Certainly, my client could have had plenty to complain about over the years, allowing himself to be treated specially because of his disability. But rather than that, he overcame this and actually worked in Orthopedics for many years, the same field that had helped him to walk again. Hats off to him, and we can all use this as a lesson for the week and during this Thanksgiving and Holiday Season. Let's step up to our challenges and give thanks and praise for what we have: health, family, intelligence, opportunity...you fill in the rest here. Have a great week, everyone, and thanks for reading!