“Every step is on the path.” Laozi
“It is not enough to stare up the steps; we must step up the stairs.” Vaclav Havel
Walking: When you have Parkinson’s, we must always be aware of where our feet and legs are taking us. Is the texture of the path changing, is it tacky and firm or smooth and slippery? Does your heel dig in as you step forward and offer you the expected support? Or does your heel slip slightly, offering reduced balance and support with that step? If I am walking in unfamiliar places, I can walk and concentrate, or I can talk, but sometimes it is hard to do both.
“Courage is one step ahead of fear.” Coleman Young
Balance: Before Parkinson’s, I didn’t think much about balance while walking. Maybe I was lucky to have some coordination, but before Parkinson’s, I always landed in a stable walking position. Now, the path through Parkinson’s seems to bring some uncertainty to life and to each step forward. Several years ago, we were in Tucson, Arizona, for a series of PT sessions for me, and we went climbing up around the local hills and mountains. It was a lot of fun. We jumped over little streams, climbed up a rocky incline, and eventually came back down through a semi-dry streambed. This hike required some coordination, balance, strength, and perseverance. But mostly, it took concentration to navigate the hike successfully. The steps were not dangerous, but they required effort. I would definitely go back tomorrow and do this hike again.
“Faith is taking the first step even when you don’t see the whole staircase.” Martin Luther King, Jr.
Rope-walk to see the Golden Gate Bridge: Many years ago, before Parkinson’s, I spent the day with my oldest nephew, David, in San Francisco. We spent it eating incredible West Coast food, topped off with a walk. The path was called the Batteries to Bluffs Trail in San Francisco’s Presidio. This dirt trail hugs the city’s rugged western cliffs and is famous for its rustic, rope-lined wire railings and heavy wooden box steps. As you hike along the bluffs, the trail offers sweeping, unobstructed views of the Pacific Ocean and the Golden Gate Bridge. I don’t remember every detail of the hike, but it’s a short but steep ~1.5-mile round-trip trail. It features a massive set of stairs ( the internet says there are ~470 steps) going down the cliffside. I enjoyed the hike; the views of the bay and the Golden Gate Bridge were amazing. However, doing that today with Parkinson’s might be more problematic.
“One may walk over the highest mountain one step at a time.” John Wanamaker
The 56 Steps in Bermuda: I have mentioned it several times in the blog, but one of my favorite places in the world is Bermuda, an island paradise just a few hours off the east coast of the USA. We have been fortunate to visit Bermuda several times over the past five years, and we always stay at the same resort (Pampano Beach Club). For me, it is ideal: every room has a view of the beautiful coastline, and they include both breakfast and dinner. The last two times we stayed there, we were located at the original site of the fishing club that started the resort. It now represents the resort’s two original rooms, and these rooms are not always occupied (unlike the rest of the resort). It seems there are 56 steps down to the rooms. That means there are 56 steps back up from the rooms to the resort proper.
“Throughout the centuries there were men who took first steps, down new roads, armed with nothing but their own vision.” Ayn Rand
Going Down: Walking down the steps for the first time was quite invigorating. If there ever was a situation where no two steps are alike, this was it. From the main building down to our room were 56 steps, and on Bermuda’s typical windy days, the wind added an extra challenge. Once down, the view from the room was unforgettable. We were probably 10 feet above the water, and the view was just magnificent. And of course, with rain during our visit to Bermuda, the steps became a little more slippery, adding to the challenge.
“It is pointless trying to know where the way leads. Think only about your first step, the rest will come.” Shams Tabrizi
Going Up: Of course, this was Bermuda, and while the sun was out, we wanted to be outside. That meant climbing the 56 steps, which offered a whole different view and challenge. It was especially notable early in the morning, with fresh dew on the walkway’s surfaces, making for a lovely wake-up. It usually began with me heading to the coffee area to get our first cups of coffee and some breakfast snacks. Now, holding two cups of coffee, the challenge was walking downstairs while holding the coffee and going down the steps without a hand to hold onto the handrail. It all went fine, many times a day up and down, in and out, but it required a lot of concentration.
“The first step is the most important. It is the most crucial and the most effective, as it will initiate the direction you have chosen.” Steve Backley
Lessons Learned: First, I know I am stubborn, in that I frequently challenge my Parkinson’s. Next, trying to be ‘normal’ after having lived knowing about Parkinson’s for 13 years and counting, very little remains normal. Having mastered the 56 steps now for 5 days/nights two years in a row, when we return, normal staircases to our room with a view will be easier to manage.
We are presented almost daily to what may be termed “Parkinson’s-derived obstacles.” A different, more resilient me would have enjoyed the 56-step Bermuda challenge, but the 73-year-old person with Parkinson’s remains up to the challenge, not ready to back down to this force in my brain. But I am so much more aware of limitations.
A final lesson learned: accept the wisdom that comes with Parkinson’s. Life is more valuable than risking harm by slipping (and falling). What I am comprehending is to focus on learning how to render this disorder done and over, in me, in all of us. I am thinking clearly, and at the same time, my focus is to never give up. Watch those coming steps ahead of you, focus, move with a plan, and get it done safely.
“The final mystery is oneself. When one has weighed the sun in the balance, and measured the steps of the moon, and mapped out the seven heavens star by star, there still remains oneself. Who can calculate the orbit of his own soul?” Oscar Wilde
.
