January 2005

Learning to Walk Again

Learning to walk is not easy; it takes an infant much time and effort. But did you ever think how hard it would be to learn to walk a second time? Or a third? Or a fourth? I knew a man that had to learn to walk four times in his life.

When growing up in Iowa, one of our neighbors was a man named Fred Coulter. Fred learned to walk four times during his 77 years.

First was when he was as a toddler taking his first steps.

Second was when as a child he contracted both scarlet fever and diphtheria. Doctors gave up on him and the local weekly newspaper predicted his death and promised details of his funeral in next week’s paper. But Fred eventually recovered and had to learn to walk all over again.

Third was when he was in his 40’s and arthritis confined Fred to bed for a long time. Doctors declared he would never walk again. But he did.

Finally when Fred was 71 someone rammed his bright yellow Ford pickup. Recovery was painfully slow. Fred required round the clock nurses for six months. But with physical therapy and great determination, Fred learned to walk again.

We can learn a lot about perseverance and determination from Fred Coulter. Sometimes we get knocked down—maybe not physically knocked down, but mentally, emotionally, or spiritually. We don’t think we can get up again. But the mark of success is getting up and walking again no matter how many times you go down.

Get up and keep walking in 2005!