The Leg Casts
When I was young, my mother would tell me about the casts I wore as a baby to reshape my clubbed feet. They were there for my first two years. I had a scar on one foot where she said my skin was pinched as they set the cast. I screamed bloody murder until Mother and Dad soaked the cast off, relieving the broken skin. Of course, I do not remember any casts or broken skin. If life was difficult for me, I forgot it.
A Resilient Man
He was on the floor. Cursing! He couldn’t believe he did it again. He got up in the middle of the night to go to the bathroom and forgot. He forgot that he needed a cane to walk. He forgot the stroke he had last year left the one side of his body useless. He forgot he was no longer a strong able-bodied man.
Buddy's Victory
It was a wrestling match, and the other team had one stud. The 165- pounder was a state champion and looked it. He had enough muscles for a heavyweight, but slimmed down for each match. Our coach shrewdly juggled our line up to win other individual matches but surrendered the 165-pound match by putting Buddy who usually wrestled in the 145-pound class in as The Stud’s opponent. Buddy was a strong boy but was smaller and less-experienced; no one expected him to last beyond the first two-minute period.
Beware of the Midnight Cows
A midnight careen into a herd of cows shakes resilience from frozen fear.
The Christmas Fire
A fire destroys his young family’s home at Christmas time, but resilience builds a new home and a better life.
The Dangerous Game
Kids respond to the fear of Nazi occupying soldiers by turning the threat into a game.
The Long Dash
The runners legs lock up and trip him, but resilience makes him finish the race.
A Dancer Story
It had only been three weeks, but she was already comfortable on the crutches. She was strong, fit, and could balance deftly on her left leg. Sometimes it was easier to hop without the crutches, but it was odd. From her right knee down her leg was gone.