Thursday, March 1, 2007

Irony

I'm fascinated (and horrified) by ironic extremes: physicists who develop Alzheimer's; orators who can't speak after a stroke; athletes who develop crippling disabilities.

While visiting a nursing home recently, I met a man named Gary. He'd spent his career trimming trees, navigating the canopies of the tallest elms, willows and maples. Never an accident, but he'd often noticed people watching him from the ground -- surely thinking, and sometimes even calling out, "Don't fall!"

Now, rehabbing from a stroke, he walks the hallways between his sleeping room and the dining room. He notices the nurses watching and he can almost see their lips move: "Don't fall."

3 comments:

  1. This is such a great post!

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  2. I agree, MJ. I love this post, and all of your blog in general. Thanks for sending me your link!

    Eileen

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  3. :) and thanks for commenting! Evidence of readers is wonderful.

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