Dear Roary, Unlike you, I rarely read the FML. But I was lucky enough to find your post today, and wanted to thank you for taking the time to write and express yourself so beautifully. I too am a climber. No matter how strong or healthy you are, a climb is still about putting one foot ahead of the other, one step at a time. And those who seem to bound along effortlessly may just not appreciate the value of that climb as much as those of us who are not in the best of shape. For us, the summit can be reached, albeit with a little more struggle and intensity. But it's still just a series of steps, one at a time. It feels good to pause occasionally during the climb to look down and see how far you've come. If you find yourself slipping back, then turn your face back up to that great glorious sky and tell yourself you have already achieved more than a lot of people could. Sometimes that gives you enough strength to keep on climbing. Best wishes to you & Jackson. Susann Thiel [Posted in FML 6098]