I see people out there zip-lining...

[robbob]

18. I tell this story to all my aging friends (and myself!) every chance I get..,

I volunteered for many years, playing piano at a nursing home in Montreal around the corner from where I lived. There was this really lovely, elderly gentleman who came to live at the home and he quickly became one of my favourite “apres show” audience members to chat with.

One day I came to play and found him sitting in a wheelchair, which was not usual. After my performance, I sat down and talked to him. Apparently, the lightbulb in his room burned out, and he decided to climb up on a chair and try to change it himself rather than bothering one of the orderlies to do it for him. Of course, you can guess the rest. He took a bad fall, shattering his hip, and confining himself to a wheelchair. Possibly for the rest of his life, although I moved away shortly after that, and never did find out the end of his story.

One foolish, reckless moment can alter our lives permanently. I don’t want to live in fear, but I also don’t want to live in a wheelchair. I try to be very careful when doing anything that could lead to such a consequence.