When I was in grade school I desperately wanted to be a safety.   My school’s safety patrol group was volunteers who helped fellow students get to and from school safely.  I remember assignments varied from crossing guards to helping students get to their bus safely or assisting kids who walked to school remain safe from traffic.  Some safeties wore white cloth belts with a silver badge.  Those safeties had the really important crossing guard duties.  Others members of the patrol received an impressive badge.

I was thrilled when I became a safety whose assignment was to guard “walkers” like me who hoofed it to and from school each day.  My job was to make sure my fellow walkers crossed streets using all the proper safety practices.  We stood on the curb, looked left, then right and then left again before stepping off the curb and carefully crossing the street.  We used crosswalks and corners, never jay walked or snuck out in between parked cars.

You may think that I was a very altruistic student whose only desire was to help her fellow classmates get to and from school safely by becoming a member of the safety patrol.  Well, I am going to be very honest.  I wanted to be a safety because I wanted to go to the annual Safety Picnic held at West Point Park, a local amusement park.

It’s funny the things that motivate us.  When I asked Steve if he had been a safety his response was yes.  I then asked why he had wanted to be one.  He told me that there was a girl he liked in the patrol group.

I have been known to be a fairly motivated person.  During my years in the office it didn’t take much for me to dive right into a project.  Sadly, however, these days I am finding it difficult to stay motivated.  I worry that I have become that person that I never wanted to become.

If you read this space then you know that I have been plagued these last few years with back issues, MS concerns and falls.  In the past I dusted myself off, and got back at it. Lately it has been difficult to keep moving, go to PT, move around in my pool, or walk Kiera that extra lap around the yard.  I have every mental intention of moving.  I plan my activity and get a PT script.  I think to myself, I’m going to really do it this time.  I really am.  Then something gives me a good (or maybe not so good) excuse to stay at home and do nothing because it is so much easier.

Well, I am happy to say that I have gone to three sessions with a new physical therapist.  I like her and her approach.  I like her honesty and her compassion.  I know I won’t leap tall buildings in a single bound, but walking a little straighter would be nice.  I would like to feel stronger. I am tentatively semi-positive.  I am fortunate that I have family and friends who are getting me to and from the facility.  It’s not next door, but with my usual fantastic support, I know that my fear of driving there is no excuse.

My motivation is not to get to West Point Park.  My motivation is to feel better mentally and physically, and do it in a safe way.  I want to get stronger.  I know it won’t be a walk in the park, but this time feels different.  Thanks for all your support.