Some days I wake up and realize how real the aches and pains are. I’m sure some of these pains are normal age-related pains. However, many are probably remnants from the immortal days of my childhood.

Like the time I climbed up that steep hill…

My brother, Corey, and I climbed a steep hill. I believe it was somewhere around or at Apple River Canyon in northwest Illinois.

I tried to beat Corey down the hill and came down too fast. As I tried to stop myself… my knee bent forward.

Knees aren’t meant to bend that way!

At home, I had to use my Great Grandma’s walker for a while (my Great Grandma lived with us).

Or the time I was playing on a partially fallen tree…

I fell out of the tree and broke my arm. Running to Mom and Dad crying… they thought I got stung by a bee but soon realized my arm was wonky.

It was Halloween. There was no Trick-or-Treating that year.

Or the time I was riding my horse at full speed…

Riding my horse at full-throttle was freeing.

But flying through the air when my horse suddenly stopped… and I didn’t… led to a painful outcome.

There were sore muscles and such but the only thing broken that day was my pride.

Looking back at my hap hazardous childhood adventures…

The few childhood escapades mentioned above are only the tip of the iceberg. But these innocent stunts probably contributed to my mature-adulthood aches and pains.

When I look back at my life’s adventures – the good, the not-so-good, even those that caused injury – it reminds me of this Hunter Thompson quote:

“Life is not a journey to the grave with the intention of arriving safely in a well preserved body, but rather to skid in broadside, thoroughly used up, totally worn out, and loudly proclaiming, “Wow what a ride!”
~ Hunter S Thompson ~

Some days I feel more thoroughly used up and totally worn out than others but life is definitely quite the ride!

Most of the time, I enjoy the ride. How about you?

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