Betty Kelly

It has been 24 days since I have had poison oak. It is terrible! And if anyone out there has had poison oak, you understand. You want to scratch and scratch.

I do not consider this a disease — not like cancer, heart, diabetes and so much worse. But it drives you crazy.

On my third day of this junk, I thought of this young man I met many years ago on one of my walks. Around 5:30 a.m. I saw something coming up the hill toward me. I realized it was a young man walking with two steel crutches.

I said “Good morning!” He nodded his head.

Every day for two weeks I walked the same route, then moved on to another route. I did this off and on. About two months later, I saw this man again at 5:30 in the morning. He still had his crutches, but he was walking really fast. I told him he looked great. He told me about his car accident and that his doctors told him he may not walk again.

“I will never give up,” he told his doctors.

What does this have to do with my poison oak? Yes, my situation is different. But he never gave up. And if he can do it, I could also in my different way.

As I have said before, we all take our lives for granted until something happens to us. BANG! Within seconds, minutes, hours or days — we never know. We all have problems and we all have bad days when we feel sorry for ourselves.

That young man on the crutches gave me the inspiration and I will never forget him. I know in my heart he still has not given up. Health is the number one issue in our lives, as well as love and kindness.

We are all so special! Never give up on you!