We Take It For Granted

by Juliana Perry

It's hard to watch her struggle and not be able to make it easier for her. It takes nearly all of her energy to get up and stand which is not really standing, more of a balancing act these days. All of her focus is concentrated on the simple act of raising her foot from the ground, toes curled under, to make the motion of stepping again. I hold my breath, this means so much to those of us who know her best; we have been hoping for this and for her to maintain her dignity. One foot forward she moves away from the safety of her white knuckled grip at the edge of the table, letting go in all her glory to step two, three and four more times; her tongue out the side of her mouth as she works her core muscles in a new and complicated way. Then I see her look up and away from her feet, grinning madly from ear to ear, as she loses her balance and falls flat on her 19-month-old hands and knees.

6S

Juliana Perry is a single mom of three, a lover of all things wine, cheese and bread, a maintainer of all things house and home, a student of business and psychology, and a professional scheduler and multitasker. She is the author of Shame On Me.